Mask

Janus depictions, named after the double-faced Roman god, can be found all over the world. However, the masks made by the ethnic groups of the Cross River region in South East Nigeria and western Cameroon are unique. Their realism is further enhanced by the thinly scraped leather that is pulled over the carved wooden body of the mask, the inserted teeth (here wood, also ivory, bone, metal) along with dental mutilations still practiced today, the hair made from black woollen yarn and the eyes covered with tin. The reproduction of the circular tattooing next to the ears is a typical feature for the Ekoi. Blackish-brown plant extract was used as paint on the cheeks, lips and eyebrows. The faces are often different colours: the darker one depicts the male, whereas the lighter is the female. Occasionally, a face is depicted with the eyes closed, whereas another may have its eyes open. The double-faced masks were owned by the secret societies of the region and were worn at initiation ceremonies and funerals, among other things. Unfortunately, little is known about their meaning and symbolism. They are interpreted as a representation of contrasting pairs (light - dark, male - female, sighted - blind) or the ability to look both forwards and backwards, future and past. Furthermore, they are supposed to symbolise the union of the gods of heaven and earth, from which an omniscient deity emerges, who can see in all directions. This exceptionally rare mask from the Freiburg collection with its identical faces was acquired by F. Staschewski, who worked for the German Colonial Society in Northwest Cameroon, in Mamfe on the upper reaches of the Cross River (modern-day Cameroon). Author: Andreas Volz, Translation: Timothy Connell