MENDE - JOBAI Masquerade mask ( Sierra Leone )
Mid 20th century. 24''
Mid 20th century. 24''
The Jobai is one of the entertainment masquerades mask commonly found in Mendeland. This mask
belong to the entertainer group because of non -ritual context of his appearances, but nevertheless
regarded as a true hale. The headpiece is particularly admired for the beauty , which is constructed of
basketry base woven into four-, five- or six-sided from completely covered with brightly colored threads of
European manufacture called wudi. Hoops wrapped with wudi crisscross each other on top of the
headpiece and the whole is further embellished with mirrors set into the sides and yarn pom-poms.. The
Jobai is completely covered from the top of the wearer's head to his toes by voluminous cape of
natural-colored raffia the swirls around as the masker turns and dips during dance.
belong to the entertainer group because of non -ritual context of his appearances, but nevertheless
regarded as a true hale. The headpiece is particularly admired for the beauty , which is constructed of
basketry base woven into four-, five- or six-sided from completely covered with brightly colored threads of
European manufacture called wudi. Hoops wrapped with wudi crisscross each other on top of the
headpiece and the whole is further embellished with mirrors set into the sides and yarn pom-poms.. The
Jobai is completely covered from the top of the wearer's head to his toes by voluminous cape of
natural-colored raffia the swirls around as the masker turns and dips during dance.