YOUR TURN: The Sowei Mask
YOUR TURN: The Sowei Mask
A Feminine Ideal
The elders of the Sande association wear the Sowei headdress to
celebrate and communicate feminine ideals.
An Ideal Friend
Make your own mask or drawing to communicate your friendship ideals.
Choose qualities that you would like to have in a friend.
Now select physical features
that can represent different qualities that you value in a friend. For
example, the Mende used a small mouth to show that one should not
gossip. How might you show that a good friend is
Use your list of qualities and features to create a drawing or mask to
communicate your ideals for friendship. Compare your ideal image with
your classmates' images. How are they similar? How are they
different?
Introduction
To Inspire Respect For Royalty
To Celebrate A Good Harvest
To Teach Young Women
To Seek Protection and Honor Ancestors