Grasslander (Bamileke)

In this artwork, the Bamileke ceremonial mask is pulled back. The face remains in shadow as if in deep contemplation. The grasslander invites you to consider the reason for the revelation. The elaborate mask is regarded as an object of power and is displayed during important rituals and ceremonies, to commemorate and celebrate the royal ancestors of the past and the present. The colorful beads are an important part of masks, and the abstract patterns are symbols of great wisdom. The cowry shells depict wealth. Bamileke, any of about 90 West African peoples in the Bamileke region of Cameroon. They speak a language of the Benue-Congo branch of the Niger-Congo family. They do not refer to themselves as Bamileke but instead use the names of the individual kingdoms to which they belong or else refer to themselves as “grasslanders.” Their origin is uncertain.