African Arts Gallery

The Fang masks, usually coated with kaolin (the white color evokes the power of the ancestors), intervened in the middle of the night, their appearance arousing dread. They were used by the male society ngil which no longer exists today. This secret society was in charge of initiations and fought against witchcraft. This unusual Fang mask presents zoomorphic characters referring to the gorilla, symbol of the ngil. Native restoration at the top using wicker. Matte and velvety two-tone patina. Desication cracks.
The Fang, formerly called Pahouins, are divided into several subsets in three countries, Cameroon, Gabn, and the mainland of Equatorial Guinea. Mainly hunters, they also practice agriculture. The wearers of these masks, always in large numbers, appeared at night, lit by torches. Their intervention was also linked to the judicial function by pointing out the culprits of bad deeds within the village. The Fang ethnic group, established in a region extending from Yaoundé in Cameroon to Ogooué in Gabon, has never had political unity. Clan cohesion was maintained through religious and judicial associations such as the so and the ngil.