Possibly part of the Chamba tribe who live south of the Benue River
Lexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Primary Object Term
Mask, Ritual
Nomenclature Sub-Class
Religious Objects
Nomenclature Class
Ceremonial Objects
Nomenclature Category
Category 08: Communication Objects
Dimensions
Height
18-5/8 in
Width
7-3/4 in
Interpretative Labels
Label Type
Cultural/Historical Context
Label
The Chamba mask represents a bush spirit. The red coloration of this mask indicates that it is a male; female spirits are black. The open jaws are symbolic of the crocodile, the horns symbolic of the water buffalo, while the head represents the skull of an ancestral elder. These mask expressed the power and dangers of the wild natural world. The masks were frequently used at funerals and other rites of passage.
