A rare early 20th century West African Nigerian Yoruba painted and crafted wood ancestors mask. The mask has wide open eyes, big lips, and a nose, and decorated with a big helmet on the top. The creation of this item is directly linked to the secret religious societies inside the Yoruba, Igbo and Ewe ethnic groups. Only a select few tribe leaders are endowed with the honor of being a mask wearer. They are almost always men, and often elders within the tribe, who have earned wisdom and respect over the years. When they wear the mask, tribes believe they become the spirit they wish to invoke. Antique West African Masks, Figures, Figurines, Statues, Ethnic And Tribal Art Collectibles.