Rediscovered Beauty Maskostume

Rediscovered Beauty Maskostume
Just North of Liberia, on the West Coast of Africa, is Sierra Leone.Nearly a million people live in the Sierra Leone, most of which live in the Mende tribe.The Mende live in a fertile, hilly region.There are two societies in Mende, one solely for men (Poro) and one for women (Sande).This Maskostume is based on those created in the Sande Society used for the initiation of girls into the society, representing their transition into womanhood.These initiations teach the girls their rights and responsibilities as women in the community.The features of the mask are representative of the ideals in female morality and physical beauty.The high forehead represents wisdom, the intricate braiding represents an individual’s tie to the entire community, and the downcast eyes indicate spirituality.Throughout Africa, ritual mask performances are conducted but men the masks are almost always wear.Among the Mende people, with the Sande Society, women wear the masks.