Mask Representing the Spirit of Gu

Origin: Guro Tribe, Ivory Coast
Composition: wood (one piece), paint, pigment dyes

This Guro mask represents the spirit of Gu, the wife of Zamble, a supernatural being who is part of the complex Guro belief system. Gu is believed to be elegant, graceful, serene and beautiful, and is clearly portrayed as such on this incredible mask. Guro masks are known for notable features such as almond shaped eyes, rounded foreheads, finely sculptured noses and mouths, and sprouting lips. Hairdos and headdresses are heavily stylized and elaborate. The masks are normally colorful and coated with paint and natural dyes.

This elegant mask is carved from a single piece of wood. Its design and paint-style date it between the 1960s and the 1970s. It is one of the few authentic Guro masks that SUJARO has collected over the years, and has a presence and calmness that must be felt in person. In quality, age, and aesthetic, it rivals any other "Gu" mask in collections and publications, including the recently published comprehensive volume from Prestel on Guro tribe masks. It was purchased from the tribe in 2001.

The Guro people, between the Baule and the Yaure to the west, the Malinke to the north and the Bete and We to the south, live surrounded by savannah and forest. They migrated from the north during the 16th century and number about 200,000. Originally they were called Kweni, but they were violently colonized between 1906 and 1912 and were given the Baule name Guro by the invading French colonials. Guro villages have rounded houses in the northern area and rectangular houses in the southern region. Village life is regulated by a council of elders, representing each main family, and by secret societies. The Guro farm predominantly cotton, rice, coffee and cocoa- the men clear the fields and the women plant. (Bacquart,  Tribal Arts of Africa).