African Collection

Fang Artist

Face Mask (Ngil)

Fang artist
Face Mask (Ngil)
Gabon
wood and kaolin

Members of the Ngil secret society who were judicial authorities among the Fang people wore this type of mask along with a full costume during loud and remarkable performances that took place during nighttime ceremonies. The elongated face, broad forehead, curved eyebrows, and jutting mouth are possible visual references to a gorilla, which is the meaning of the society’s
name. The white color of the fine, soft clay known as kaolin applied on the wooden surface recalls ancestral spirits. The mask’s intimidating presence served to scare audiences, aiding the Ngil in processes for resolving conflict and identifying sources of sorcery. The use of the mask declined gradually after the French colonial administration banned Ngil societies in the early twentieth century.

—Talia Lieber