Explore the captivating "Yaure Mask," a stunning piece of African tribal art from the Ivory Coast. This extraordinary mask, representing the unique heritage of the Yaure ethnic group, features intricate human and animal characteristics that embody spiritual significance. Crafted to connect with supernatural forces, the Yaure Mask plays a vital role in community rituals, restoring harmony during significant events. With its striking design, it's not just a decoration but a powerful symbol of culture and tradition. Enhance your collection with this emblem of history and mystery, creating a focal point that sparks conversations and admiration.
Yaure / Yohure Mask
"The best-known masks of the Yaure, a small ethnic group inhabiting the central region of Ivory Coast, represent human faces supplemented by animal attributes. They belong either to the je or lo, types of masks that, for outsiders, are difficult to distinguish from one another. With the aid of such masks, the people hope to influence super-natural powers, or yu, that can do harm to humans, but that can also ensure their welfare. The masks are considered emblems of yu, extremely dangerous, to be handled with extreme caution, and absolutely kept out of the sight of women. Cases of death that jeopardize the social order are the principal occasions for an appearance of masqueraders. By mean of their dance, they restore the social equilibrium of the community and accompany the deceased into the ancestral realm." Bibliography: I. Hahner-Herzog, M. Kecskési, László Vajda, African masks, Prestel-Verlag, Munich, New-York, 2012