Are these masks a longstanding part of Bamileke people's culture, in this specific form? I ask since I wonder what the beads themselves are made out of. That incredibly vibrant blue being a hard pigment to find in nature, were the beads trade goods, by way of possible european or middle eastern glass workshops, were they locally manufactured, or are they some kind of local stone? So I return to the original question, has the overhanging shadow of colonialism helped shape the materials used in these masks, or are they the result of local tradition, local manufacture, and local materials?

Other countries could have brought the beads.

Why is only the leopard and the elephant a symbol for the king's power?

It was their religion. Much as how in Christianity it is bread and wine, not meat and potatoes, that represent the body and blood of Christ at the Eucharist.

In the Kuosi Society, Who exactly wore the Elephant Mask? Meaning was it both men and women? Or just men alone or just the women?

In the Bamileke, the Kuosi society, who reports directly to the king, is responsible for dramatic masquerading displays. This was formerly a warrior society, whose members today are made up of powerful, wealthy men. There's more in the article found here: http://www.forafricanart.com/Bamileke_ep_38-1.html

how many elephant mask would had been wore during the dance and the warrior would it been all of them wearing it?

Here's the article: http://www.forafricanart.com/Bamileke_ep_38-1.html see if you can find the numbers,

Why was the mask so expensive?

Consider all of the human labor that went into producing it. Even if the materials were cheap (which they weren't), the labor represented by the intricate work took a lot of time and effort, and that doesn't come cheap.

At 1:00 they were dancing with the masks how do they do it? Did the practice, did they just dance or did they see/talk about it enough to just know how?

I think their are holes for the eyes so the people could see.

Main content

Course: Art of Africa > Unit 4

Lesson 1: Cameroon

Elephant Mask, Kuosi Society, Bamileke Peoples, Cameroon

Google Classroom

The Fang reliquary guardian figure, a wooden sculpture, protected sacred items like bones of important ancestors and potent substances. The figure, with its powerful musculature and calm demeanor, symbolizes strength and respect. It was also used as a puppet during young men's initiations to educate them about their ancestors.

Elephant (Aka) Mask, Kuosi Society, Bamileke Peoples, Grassfields region of Cameroon, 20th century, cloth, beads, raffia, fiber, 146.7 x 52.1 x 29.2 cm (Brooklyn Museum) Speakers: Dr. Peri Klemm and Dr. Steven Zucker. Created by Beth Harris and Steven Zucker.

Want to join the conversation?

Sort by:

Jake Suzuki
Posted 9 years ago. Direct link to Jake Suzuki's post “Are these masks a longsta...”
Are these masks a longstanding part of Bamileke people's culture, in this specific form?
I ask since I wonder what the beads themselves are made out of. That incredibly vibrant blue being a hard pigment to find in nature, were the beads trade goods, by way of possible european or middle eastern glass workshops, were they locally manufactured, or are they some kind of local stone?
So I return to the original question, has the overhanging shadow of colonialism helped shape the materials used in these masks, or are they the result of local tradition, local manufacture, and local materials?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Jake Suzuki's post “Are these masks a longsta...”
(4 votes)
Answer
- samyiching
  Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to samyiching's post “Other countries could hav...”
  Other countries could have brought the beads.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (2 votes)
Koeung, Vylina
Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to Koeung, Vylina's post “Why is only the leopard a...”
Why is only the leopard and the elephant a symbol for the king's power?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(3 votes)
Answer
- David Alexander
  Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to David Alexander's post “It was their religion. Mu...”
  It was their religion. Much as how in Christianity it is bread and wine, not meat and potatoes, that represent the body and blood of Christ at the Eucharist.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (2 votes)
Cruzita Maea
Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to Cruzita Maea's post “In the Kuosi Society, Who...”
In the Kuosi Society, Who exactly wore the Elephant Mask? Meaning was it both men and women? Or just men alone or just the women?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(2 votes)
Answer
- David Alexander
  Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to David Alexander's post “In the Bamileke, the Kuos...”
  In the Bamileke, the Kuosi society, who reports directly to the king, is responsible for dramatic masquerading displays. This was formerly a warrior society, whose members today are made up of powerful, wealthy men. There's more in the article found here: http://www.forafricanart.com/Bamileke_ep_38-1.html
  Button navigates to signup page
  (4 votes)
Pokemiles
Posted 6 years ago. Direct link to Pokemiles's post “At 0:21, what is the larg...”
At
0:21
, what is the large black spot on the right side of Africa?
(I know this is off topic but I was just wondering)
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(2 votes)
Answer
- chasekrenzer23
  Posted 2 years ago. Direct link to chasekrenzer23's post “Lake Victoria!”
  Lake Victoria!
  Button navigates to signup page
  (2 votes)
Diane Balcom
Posted 9 years ago. Direct link to Diane Balcom's post “Who did the beadwork? How...”
Who did the beadwork? How long did it take to do a mask?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(3 votes)
Answer
- jackson.leathers
  Posted 6 months ago. Direct link to jackson.leathers's post “not you”
  not you
  Button navigates to signup page
  (1 vote)
yessica salcedo
Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to yessica salcedo's post “how many elephant mask wo...”
how many elephant mask would had been wore during the dance and the warrior would it been all of them wearing it?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(1 vote)
Answer
- David Alexander
  Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to David Alexander's post “Here's the article: http...”
  Here's the article: http://www.forafricanart.com/Bamileke_ep_38-1.html see if you can find the numbers,
  Button navigates to signup page
  (2 votes)
Evelyn Jimenez
Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to Evelyn Jimenez's post “Why was the mask so expen...”
Why was the mask so expensive?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(1 vote)
Answer
- David Alexander
  Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to David Alexander's post “Consider all of the human...”
  Consider all of the human labor that went into producing it. Even if the materials were cheap (which they weren't), the labor represented by the intricate work took a lot of time and effort, and that doesn't come cheap.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (2 votes)
Rachael
Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to Rachael's post “At 1:00 they were dancing...”
At
1:00
they were dancing with the masks how do they do it? Did the practice, did they just dance or did they see/talk about it enough to just know how?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(1 vote)
Answer
- Sarah Ahsan
  Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to Sarah Ahsan's post “I think their are holes f...”
  I think their are holes for the eyes so the people could see.
  Comment on Sarah Ahsan's post “I think their are holes f...”
  (2 votes)
ifeyinwaonukaegbe
Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to ifeyinwaonukaegbe's post “What was the scale/size o...”
What was the scale/size of the elephant mask?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(1 vote)
Answer
- David Alexander
  Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to David Alexander's post “Underneath the video ther...”
  Underneath the video there was this information: 146.7 x 52.1 x 29.2 cm
  Button navigates to signup page
  (1 vote)
Landrum,B.
Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to Landrum,B.'s post “How come the King's and t...”
How come the King's and the people with power didn't wear these? Why didn't they wear them there selves if they were the ones with power?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(1 vote)
Answer
- David Alexander
  Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to David Alexander's post “As was pointed out in the...”
  As was pointed out in the video, the powerful societies wear and dance the masks to honor the king. Kind of like how in Brazil at Carnival, common people belonging to Samba Societies parade to celebrate the holiday. The president isn't in the parade, he (or she) watches.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (1 vote)

Video transcript

(jazzy piano music) - [Voicover] We're in the Brooklyn Museum looking at this magnificent beaded mask. - [Voiceover] This mask is covered in beads. It was danced by the members of the Elephant Society, the Kuosi Society, in the Bamileke kingdom of Cameroon. - [Voiceover] Cameroon is a country in central Africa but we're seeing this object hermetically sealed within plexiglass, in a museum, completely divorced from the way that it would have been used and understood. in its original context. - [Voiceover] This was a masquerade, which involved not just a mask, but a costume, performers musicians and attendants to bring this mask to life to do what it was really supposed to do in terms of honoring the king and bringing about social harmony. - [Voiceover] So we should not be seeing it frozen, hung as if it was just a piece of cloth. - [Voiceover] This object was obviously collected and has now a second life in this museum space. It's very hard for us to recontextualize it's original use but we know from photographs that the Bamileke Society would wear these with a red feather head dress, a leopard skin pelt and a full body costume. The leopard and the elephant were symbols of rule and powerful symbols for the Fon. The Fon was a divine king who could transform into the elephant and the leopard was thought to be an animal that could transform into a human so we have that connection between divine rule and the essence of these powerful animals. - [Voiceover] So the Bamileke that would have worn this would have been court officials, titleholders, warriors people that held themselves great power and in their association with the leopard and with the elephant would have expressed the power of the king, and in a sense the political stability of that hierarchical order. - [Voiceover] The Bamileke king, the Fon, allowed this society and only this one to dance the elephant mask and to wear leopard skin. They were entrusted with these symbols of authority and power. The main form in this beaded piece is the isosceles triangle, which relates to the patterning on the body of the leopard. - [Voiceover] Highly stylized though as the entire mask is it's dazzling, and it has a kind of optical quality that is full of energy and dynamism. - [Voiceover] And imagine when it's worn and danced and performed, it would be incredibly dynamic with all of these various materials and colors and shapes all brought together to suggest the power of that king. - [Voiceover] And in Cameroon today the Bamileke still perform this ritual, now annually but instead of warriors performing it these are powerful members of the society. (jazzy piano music)