Helmet Mask (ndoli jowei)

A broad forehead, elaborate hairstyle, downcast eyes, and small nose and mouth illustrate Mende ideals of feminine beauty and behavior. Mende Sande Society masks appear on occasions associated with coming of age ceremonies, when girls receive instruction for their roles and responsibilities as women in the community. Masks may embody the guardian spirit of the society, and represent Sande at all major public occasions. Sande masquerades, the only known traditions-based African masquerade that is performed by women rather than men, reinforce the society’s role as a principal mediator between the community and the spirit world. The Sande Society also acts to bind the women together as a powerful social and political force.