Sowei helmet masks of the women's initiation societies of Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Sowei helmet masks of the women's initiation societies of Sierra Leone and Liberia. 

In the previous post I focused on the Gongoli masks of Sierra Leone, deliberately carved with grotesque features for entertainment purposes during local events. In this post I will focus on the Sowei masks used in the same region, which stand in stark contrast to the Gongoli masks, as Sowei masks are characterized by their solemnity, idealized beauty and finesse. A favorite among African art collectors. 

Carved wooden Sowei helmet masks, or crest masks, are also referred to as Sowo, or Bundu masks, and belong to secretive women's initiation societies known as the Sande among the Mende, or as Bondo/Bundu among the Temne, but are found among other regional populations such as the Gola and Vai as well. The masks represents the ideals of womanhood and the idealized image of feminine beauty, wisdom, intelligence, solemnity, purity, health and prosperity.

The masks are carved by male carvers, but unlike most African masquerade traditions, which exclusively permit men to wear masks, even if those masks represent female spirits, among the Sande women's initiation societies, exclusively elderly women wear Sowei masks. Among the Mende, the masks are worn by the Ndoli Jowei, or “the Sowei who dances”, also known as “zoes”, elderly women who lead the society. These dancers are also known “a-Nowo” among the Temne. 

The women's Sande society traditionally initiates girls into womanhood by preparing them for marriage, family life, and participation in the women's sphere of community life. Adolescent girls are initiated as a group during the post-harvest dry season in a specially cleared area of forest near the town or village. The initiation period varies from several weeks to several months, though in the past this period could last up to a year. 

“When they were deemed to be ready, the high-ranking teacher and society leader introduced them to the community as adult women. On this occasion, each leader wore a voluminous raffia fiber costume and a wooden helmet mask that embodied sowei, the water spirit and guardian deity of the Sande society.”

“Ndoli jowei masked dancers may also appear at important social events, such as visits of foreign dignitaries and funerals of important members of society.”

The age of these women’s societies is not known but they have been documented since at least the 17th century. 

Among the most controversial aspects of the women’s initiation societies is the widespread practice of female circumcision, also known as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), performed by female specialists, though this practice is experiencing a significant decline in recent years.  

Sande societies exercise significant political and societal influence. “Membership in Sande is a lifelong identity that members carry down to their daughters. Through this bonding, women are also taught to maintain the peace of the town. If a man abuses or insults a Sande woman, no other woman in Sande will talk to him. Due to the immediate social ostracization that occurs when men step out of line, women hold the power to create accountability mechanisms in the villages based on the strong bonds that occur during initiation.”