Large-scale beete ceremonial rites were orchestrated in the face of crises that threatened a Kwele community's cohesion and well-being. These ceremonies harnessed the power of important ancestral relics from its member families in order to restore a sense of harmonious unity. Over the course of beete's proceedings, performances of a variety of different masks were used to divert the participants and, in so doing, afford them a shared experience of something extraordinary and marvelous to behold. The masks worn by the performers personified beings of the forest known as ekuk. Almost all these representations were abstract silhouette-like evocations of animals identified with qualities of physical strength and agility. The basic choreography ranged from rhythmic prancing to shuffling movements. The combined energies generated by successive dances were believed to increase the effectiveness of the relics in conferring well-being upon the community.