Fang Figurine

The Fang tribe, originating from Gabon and Guinea is still the largest ethnic group in Equatorial Africa.

These masks were the attribute of a secret society called N'gil, whose role was to insure law and order. The Fangs had a patriarchal social organization, and men who wanted to join the N'gil had to endure a very hard and bloody initiation rite.

The officers of the group would travel from village to village in order to enforce peace between clans and judge trials. Dressed in raphia costume, they would wear those masks to give a dramatic effect upon their arrival, which they would perform at night with torches, thus accentuating the dramatic effect, as they wanted to appear as beings half human - half monster.

The Fangs still use those masks, which are usually made of wood, often colored with kaolin powder. This white powder is also used directly on faces during initiation rites, for white is the color that shows the link to the spirits.

This replica is made of stained glass, signed and numbered.

Kota and Fang mask figurines in limited editions of 25 pieces.