Bearded mask (Gegon)

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONThis bird-like mask was used by the Dan people in the Gegon masquerade.WHERE WAS IT MADE?The Dan are an ethnic group of approximately 350,000 people who live in the West African countries of Liberia and the Ivory Coast. HOW WAS IT MADE?This mask was carved from wood. The artist begins by using an adze to make the initial form and then uses chisels and knives to finish and refine the mask. The final form is smoothed with coarse leaves, then stained with plant sap. Some type of animal fur was attached to the “beak” of the mask, and thin strips of metal (likely tin) outline the eyes. To see a Dan adze in the Johnson Museum’s collection, search for object number 86.015.006 a,b in the keyword search box.HOW WAS IT USED?Gegon means “male masquerade.” A performer wearing this mask primarily functions as an entertainer – joking with women and dancing in a manner that mimics a pecking bird.Dan people believe that an essential force called dü is present in all parts of the world – in all animate and inanimate objects. Dü is particularly manifest in spirits who usually reside in the mountains and rely on humans to create masquerades so that the spirits may take corporeal form. Unlike many other African masquerades, the mask does not lose its spirit if damaged; nevertheless, the spirit may choose to abandon the mask, essentially leaving it dead. Finally, a mask spirit has little allegiance to its owner. If looted in war, the mask will transfer its power to the victor after appearing in a new owner’s dream.WHY DOES IT LOOK LIKE THIS?The bird-shaped mask that defines the Gegon masquerade is believed to be imported or a composite of masks from neighboring peoples. It references a particular bird, the hornbill, which is revered for its association with palms, a source of nuts and oil. The hornbill is the subject of several praise songs among the Dan. Dan masks generally feature physical characteristics of either sex: female elements include elliptical eyes and an oval shape, whereas male facial qualities include a more angular eye and face shape, and a large overall size. Despite these gendered differences, masks are not believed to be male or female, but understood as pa, or “things.”