Dan Mask
The dan mask is a carved wooden face mask of the Dan people of western Ivory Coast, admired for its smooth, polished surface, narrow eye slits, and the fine balance of its features. Each mask is inhabited by a spirit called gle, and the wearer becomes that spirit during the dance, so the mask is handled with ritual care: it is oiled, fed, and hidden from profane eyes when not in use. Masks take many characters, from the playful entertainment mask to the warrior mask and the judge that fines wrongdoers in village disputes, and the same basic form was adopted by the neighbouring We and Guro peop