Deangle Mask of the Dan: What It Was For and Why It Matters
Dan | Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire | Initiation / Nurturing
What was it for?
The Deangle was the mask that cared for initiates during their time in the bush school. It brought food from the village, mediated between the boys and their families, and represented the feminine nurturing principle during a period of intense masculine transformation.
What does it look like?
A smooth, oval face with narrow tubular or slit eyes, a refined nose, and scarification marks on the cheeks or forehead. The surface is polished to a deep shine. The Dan deliberately made this mask beautiful, because it was the face of care.
Why does it matter?
Among the Dan, masks are not owned by individuals. They are owned by the spirit. A carver makes the physical form, but the spirit chooses the form it wants and animates it. The mask has a name, a personality and a history that outlasts any single carver or dancer.
One thing most people never know
When a Deangle mask is not in use, it must be stored with respect: wrapped, kept in a sacred place and periodically fed with sacrificial offerings. A mask that is not cared for is believed to lose its spiritual power.
Further reading: the source record for this entry.
This entry is part of the SEVICS Africa archive of 100 African masks. If you own a mask like this and want to know more about it, try our Mask Identifier.
