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Helmet mask

Fascinating story behind the helmet mask carved by men but worn by only women in Sierra Leone

Fascinating story behind the helmet mask carved by men but worn by only women in Sierra Leone

One of the respected traditional symbols of the Mende people of the West African nation, Sierra Leone, in initiation ceremonies is the helmet or sowei mask.  In the Mende culture, the helmet mask is used to invoke the protection of the guardian spirits called Sowo by key figures of Sande, the women’s wing of the…

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