Unajua? – West African masks are almost always worn by men in masquerade dances.
Traditionally, West African masks are only handled by a few people, and put away when not in use. Today a large number of West African masks are in western museums.
This article is about West African masks. You will see some of the famous West African masks and read about the people that made them and the places and times they are from
This article is part of the West African Art series
Famous West African Masks You Must See
Taarifa 💡
Find information about every West African mask under each image.
Start HERE: Introduction to West African Art
#1 West African Mask
Bundu Mask
Taarifa 💡
Culture: Mende peoples Date: c. 19-20th century Medium: Wood Geography: Sierra Leone, West Africa Current location: Musée du quai Branly, France, western Europe
Ji-Elle, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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#2 West African Mask
Benin Ivory Mask
Taarifa 💡
Culture: Edo peoples Date: 16th century Medium: Ivory, iron Geography: Benin Kingdom, Nigeria, West Africa Current location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The MET), USA, North America
Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
#3 West African Mask
Igbo Mask
Taarifa 💡
Culture: Igbo peoples Medium: Wood, pigment Geography: Nigeria, West Africa Current location: The Royal Museum for Central Africa, Belgium, western Europe
Royal Museum for Central Africa, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
#4 West African Mask
Yoruba Mask (Gelede Mask)
Taarifa 💡
Culture: Yoruba peoples Date: 19th century Medium: wood Geography: Nigeria, West Africa Current location: Brooklyn Museum, USA, North America
Brooklyn Museum, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Read: 15 Types of Clothing in Medieval Africa Every Time Traveller Should Own
#5 West African Mask
Baule Mask (Mblo Mask)
Taarifa 💡
Culture: Baule peoples Date: 19-20th century Medium: Wood, oils, pigment, ferrous nails Geography: Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa Current location: Brooklyn Museum, USA, North America
Brooklyn Museum, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
#6 West African Mask
Baule Mask (Kple Kple Mask)
Taarifa 💡
Culture: Baule peoples Date: 20th century Medium: Wood Geography: Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa Current location: Castello Sforzesco, Italy, southern Europe
Raccolte Extraeuropee del Castello Sforzesco, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
#7 West African Mask
Senufo Masks (Kpelie Mask)
Taarifa 💡
Culture: Senufo peoples Medium: Wood Geography: Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa Current location: The Royal Museum for Central Africa, Belgium, western Europe
Ji-Elle, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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#8 West African Mask
Senufo Firespitter Mask
Taarifa 💡
Culture: Senufo peoples Date: 20th century Medium: Wood Geography: Ivory Coast, West Africa Current location: Brooklyn Museum, USA, North America
Brooklyn Museum, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
#9 West African Mask
Dan Mask
Taarifa 💡
Culture: Dan peoples Date: 19-20th century Medium: Wood, pigment Geography: Côte d'Ivoire or Liberia, West Africa Current location: Brooklyn Museum, USA, North America
Brooklyn Museum, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
15 Types of Clothing in Medieval Africa Every Time Traveller Should Own
#10 West African Mask
Kanaga Mask
Taarifa 💡
Culture: Dogon peoples Medium: Wood, fiber, metal, leather Geography: Mali, West Africa Current location: Institut d'ethnologie Université de Strasbourg, France, western Europe
Ji-Elle, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
3 Popular Types Of West African Sculptures For You To Identify On Your Next Visit To The Museum
#11 West African Mask
Bwa Mask (Plank Mask / Nwantantay)
Taarifa 💡
Culture: Bwa peoples Date: 20th century Medium: Wood, pigments Geography: Village of Boni, Burkina Faso, West Africa Current location: Birmingham Museum of Art, USA, North America
Sean Pathasema/Birmingham Museum of Art, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
#12 West African Mask
Guro Mask
Taarifa 💡
Culture: Guro peoples Date: 19th century Medium: Wood, pigment Geography: Marahoué Region, Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa Current location: Brooklyn Museum, USA, North America
Brooklyn Museum, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
#13 West African Mask
Bambara Mask (Ntomo Mask)
Taarifa 💡
Culture: Bambara peoples Medium: Wood Geography: Mali, West Africa
Roman Bonnefoy/ Romanceor, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
#14 West African Mask
Bambara Mask (Komo Society Mask)
Taarifa 💡
Culture: Bambara peoples Date: 19-20th century Medium: Wood, metal, antelope horns, porcupine quills, organic materials Geography: Ségou, Koulikouro, or Sikasso Region, Mali, West Africa Current location: Brooklyn Museum, USA, North America
Brooklyn Museum, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
#15 West African Mask
Ligbi Mask
Taarifa 💡
Culture: Ligbi peoples Date: 19-20th century Medium: Wood Geography: Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa Current location: Brooklyn Museum, USA, North America
Brooklyn Museum, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
#16 West African Mask
Yohure Mask
Taarifa 💡
Culture: Yohure people Date: 20th century Medium: Wood Geography: Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa Current location: Castello Sforzesco, Italy, southern Europe
Raccolte Extraeuropee del Castello Sforzesco, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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#17 West African Mask
Mossi Mask
Taarifa 💡
Culture: Mossi peoples Date: 19-20th century Medium: Wood, paint, resinous material Geography: Burkina Faso, West Africa Current location: Brooklyn Museum, USA, North America
Brooklyn Museum, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
3 Popular Types Of West African Sculptures For You To Identify On Your Next Visit To The Museum
#18 West African Mask
D’mba Mask (Shoulder Mask)
Taarifa 💡
Culture: Baga peoples Date: 19th century Medium: Wood Geography: Guinea, West Africa Current location: Musée du Louvre, France, western Europe
Louvre Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
#19 West African Mask
Ebira Mask (Ekuecici)
Taarifa 💡
Culture: Ebira peoples Date: 20th century Medium: Wood Geography: Nigeria, West Africa Current location: Private collection, (appeared in: Nigeria. Arts de la vallée de la Bénoué at the Musée du quai Branly) France, western Europe
Ji-Elle, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
#20 West African Mask
Diola Mask
Taarifa 💡
Culture: Diola peoples Date: 19-20th century Medium: Ox horns, abrus precatorius seeds, cowrie shells, Western-made buttons and basketry Geography: Senegal, The Gambia or Guinea-Bissau, West Africa Current location: Musée d'Angoulême, France, western Europe
Ji-Elle, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
#21 West African Mask
Angbai Mask
Taarifa 💡
Culture: Loma people Date: 20th century Medium: Wood, fur Geography: Guinea, West Africa Current location: Musée du quai Branly, France, western Europe
Ji-Elle, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
>> Inside 9 African Traditional Houses & Structures That You Can Actually Visit <<
SPOT THE BWA MASKS 👀
What masks have come from the place you are in?
Wisdom is like a baobab tree, no one individual can embrace it.
~ African Proverb ~
Word Bank📚🧑🏿🏫
Abrus precatorius seeds
Read More 🙂
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe from the African Writers Series!
References
Image of Bwa Masks: Christopher D. Roy at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Mblo Mask
“Brooklyn Museum.” Brooklynmuseum.org, 2024, www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/116654.
Dan Mask
“Brooklyn Museum.” Www.brooklynmuseum.org, www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/4851.
Kanaga
“Masque Kanaga – Institut d’Ethnologie – Université de Strasbourg.” Unistra.fr, 2024, ethnologie.unistra.fr/collection/objets-3d-interactifs/masque-kanaga/.
Bwa Mask
“Circle the Globe Highlights Tour.” Birmingham Museum of Art |, 17 Sept. 2024, www.artsbma.org/event/circle-the-globe-highlights-tour-8/.
Guro Mask
“Brooklyn Museum.” Www.brooklynmuseum.org, www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/2923.
Komo Society Mask
“Brooklyn Museum.” Www.brooklynmuseum.org, www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/4810.
Ligbi Mask
“Brooklyn Museum.” Brooklynmuseum.org, 2024, www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/100712.
Mossi Mask
“Brooklyn Museum.” Brooklynmuseum.org, 2024, www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/100305.
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