TOMA LANDAI MASKS, Guinea

TOMA
Mask 30
42" high
$1000

The Toma mask above has been vetted as being authentic with significant signs of use and age.


TOMA
Mask 31
16" long
SOLD*

The Toma mask above has been vetted as being authentic with signs of use and age.


TOMA STYLE LANDAI MASKS, Guinea

Despite their appearance, the Toma masks below were probably made to be sold.

TOMA STYLE
Mask 3
23" high
$1000 

TOMA STYLE
Mask 10
20.5" high
$400


TOMA STYLE
Mask 18
18.5" high
$400

 TOMA STYLE
Mask 21
20.5" high
$300


 TOMA STYLE
Mask 12
21" high
$300



Photographs © Hamill Gallery

TOMA, LANDAI MASKS, Guinea

These brooding, often quite large, masks represent a forest spirit, Landai. Masks like these were used by the men's Poro Society to initiate boys into manhood. The masks, in what was often a frightening ritual for the boys, would symbolically swallow the boy, who would then re-emerge as a man. The masks were worn with a large raffia costume. Most have a flat face, the traditional beaked nose, jaws of teeth, protruding brow and horns.

GO TO TOMA LANDAI MASKS ARCHIVES PAGE (ALL SOLD)

GO TO A DILEMMA OF HORNS EXHIBITION PAGE

GO TO TOMA SCULPTURE PAGE

GO TO MASKS OF THE DAN EXHIBITION PAGE

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GO TO ANIMALIA EXHIBITION PAGE

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