- Aka elephant mask
- 19th to 20th century
- wood, woven raffia, cloth
- Kuosi Society, Bamileke peoples, modern day Cameroon
Bamileke peoples
- located on the grasslands in modern day Cameroon
- Kuosi society is responsible for festivals
- festivals are a display of wealth
- society is composed of wealthy, powerful men
- serve the “fon” (king)
- festivals have the “tso” (elephant dance)
- sometimes the “fon” joins them
- believe the “fon” (king) is representative of the Supreme Being
- does not control human behavior
Features
- large elephant masks
- power of elephant and leopard is conveyed
- flaps of cloth symbolize elephant trunks
- time-consuming beads and royal indigo cloths
- beads elevate the status due to the intricacy
- two round ears that flap during dance
- human facial features
