Ceremonial Mask, Bedu, Cote d' Ivoire (Ivory Coast)

Bedu Peoples, Cote D' Ivoire

H: 78 inches, W: 21.5 inches

Materials: wood, painted (red, beige, black)

The Bedu masquerading tradition is limited to the region of Bondoukou.  With a height of seventy-seven inches, these types of masks are danced by young men with amazing agility and grace.  They were danced annually; after the yam festivals, in villages occupied by various ethnic groups in the vicinity of Bondoukou, in northern Cote d’ Ivoire.  Bedu masks also performed in purification ceremonies to invigorate the community and renew its sense of well-being.