York's Shona Gallery presents the "Guro Mask" by the Guro tribe of the Ivory Coast. A narrow, finely carved face with lowered eyes is crowned by curving elephant tusks, painted with deep colors against the warm copper tone of the face.
At 16" long, the mask is hand carved from wood. It was made in 1992 and shows a smooth, polished surface.
The mask represents the spirit of Gu, the wife of Zamble, a supernatural being. The elephant tusks represent spiritual power and are believed to protect the owner and the tribe.
The mask also depicts a combination of human and animal traits and imaginary beasts. It was commonly used during traditional ceremonies such as funerals, animal sacrifices and weddings. Today, the people of Ivory Coast honor their ancestors with traditional dance and the mask is worn to symbolize their remembrance of the past.
