This outstanding piece is a Dan “gunyege”
(runner) mask, made by the Dan group. It is a
remarkable example of its type. It has a very tall,
broad apex, widening to the cheekbones and
narrowing to a pointed chin. The forehead is high
and domed, running down to wide, circular eyes
under sharp brows, a broad, flat nose and a
prominent mouth. The eyes and the upper lip
were once adorned with white inlay and hair,
respectively, of which some traces remain. The
patination is superb, and further evidence for
long usage can be seen in the worn holes around
the perimeter (used to attach a costume), the
internal polish, and the indigenous repair to the
right side.
The Dan are a farming tribe, settled in the semi-
wooded areas of Liberia and the Ivory Coast.
While beholden to agriculture, much of their
mythology and social structure is based upon the
forest and its fiercer creatures – the Leopard
Society is the main organ of social control. For
example, initiates spend up to four months alone
in the forest before they are permitted to enter
maturity.
They are one of the most prolific masking groups
in Africa, as there was scarcely a social function
that did not have its own mask prior to the
1960s. For example, there are masks for fire-
watching (= fire warden), adjudicators, warriors,
debt collectors, social delinquents and warriors,
and others for enlisting workers to clear paths, to
catch runaway wives, to snatch feast food to
serve to children and even for spying. Small
“passport” masks were kept as talismans of good
luck, and also served as markers of authority and
ambassadorial functions. Masks were inherited
through lineages, kept on altars and endowed
with libations; they achieve their dark colour
through immersion in black mud sacred
materials. Some retain traces of what are
presumed to be the remains of magical
substances.
Function is not always easy to ascertain,
paradoxically, as the masks were usually
associated with costumes that have not survived,
and with particular occasions, dances or people.
In the current case, however, function is very
clear as it is a near-perfect example of the
genre. Named “gunyege”, these masks were
worn
by a sprinter and pursued by unmasked initiates.
Once caught, he had to surrender the mask and
the capturer would wear it and be pursued. They
were somewhat vigorous pursuits, designed to
train the men to fight.
These masks are the most elegant and
impressive of the Dan repertoire. This is a
superb example of a rare and beautiful form.
