Sekou Toure
No traditional masks
As much as he was the ruler of Guinea, Ahmed Sékou Touré felt that his ultimate power was threatened by the presence of traditional authority. So he did one of the most ‘radical things’: he banned masks in Guinea.
One of the masks he banned was the Chiwara Mask, an antelope mask that is used in teaching Bambara men social values.
Photo: Wiki CC
His fight against traditional authority did not start when he was president. As the chief elective officer of Guinea, he established cooperatives and village councils to reduce the power of traditional authorities.
