African Fine Arts - AFRICAN-ART

Large elongated white pigmented masks were used in the Ngi ritual, which has been defunct since the turn of the century and, regrettably, is not well know. It is believed that through ritual performance, using kaolin with its protective and curative properties, Ngi protected an individual from evil spells and poisonings. It could also enable an individual to increase his wealth. The masks was prominent in the rites of passage of male youths, and it punished all wrongdoers.