EBK 0314-3

Guro “Kweni“ Mask, Ivory Coast

H: 37 cm (14,6″), W: 13 cm ( 5,1 “)

This beautifully carved and brown polished Guro mask represents the spirit of Gu, the wife of Zamble a supernatural being. Gu is often depicted as elegant, graceful, serene and beautiful. Important characteristics found in Guro art are; a skillful combination of human and animal forms. Notable features on masks are obliquely placed or almond shaped eyes, rounded foreheads and finely sculptured nose and mouth with small but sprouting lips. Hairdos and headdress are delicately sculptured and elaborate. The masks are often colorful and coated with natural dyes.

Of all animals, the Guro revere five: the antelope, the hyena, the leopard, the crocodile and the elephant. These are animals mostly found in the savannah and tropical forest where the 200,000-strong tribe lives. The Guro people are found in Ivory Coast; their art is closely related to their neighbor’s, the Baule’s. In fact, Guro is a Baule name; the actual indigenous name of the tribe is Kweni. The antelope is beloved for its grace and speed and for the folkloric belief that a mythical antelope taught men to farm.

Literature: Elisabeth Skidmore, “The World of Spirits and Ancestors”

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