African Wood Mask 'Protect the Forest'

This long, narrow face could appear in the trunk of a tree, crowned by slender branches. Carved by hand from seasoned African African rubberwood, it is the expert handiwork of Abdul Aziz Mohamadu. 'This mask is used by the Gonja people of Northern Ghana,' he explains. 'It is used to protect their forest, which they believe is the resting place of their ancestors.' Named Koholo – a Gonja word that means 'protect the jungle,' it receives its white coloration from applications of clay.