Kabemba Mask

This is likely to be a kabemba, or ka-bemba, mask worn during the initiation of Temne boys into the Poro society. Ka-bemba means grandfather, or forefather, and is worn by the person who leads the boys into the society bush for circumcision, and then out again. Such masks were largely collected in the first decade of the 20th century. This example has two metal-tipped horns, pointing backwards, and is decorated with cut strips of metal.