Helmet crest from a Ngumba/Kwifon masquerade
With its name translating to "assistant to the fon" or "father of the country," the Kwifon regulatory society serves as a counterbalance to the authority of the supreme ruler. Its independent lodges settle disputes, administer justice, and act as a stabilizing force during moments of transition. Kwifon’s masks are among the most feared and beloved in the northwestern Grassfields. Their demeanor ranges from menacing to jovial, with individual masks sometimes exhibiting both "hot" (angry) and "cool" (placid) traits. During festivals that ensure the protection of the land and its people, they are accompanied by an orchestra of iron bells and other sacred instruments. Given the popularity of the masks, Kwifon sometimes licenses their replication to local lineage groups. Isolated from their performance contexts and stripped of their costumes, the glossy, iron-blackened dance crests become difficult to identify.
Artwork Details
- Title: Helmet crest from a Ngumba/Kwifon masquerade
- Artist: Grassfields artist
- Date: 19th century
- Geography: Cameroon, northwest region, Kom(?)
- Culture: Kom peoples, Tikar group
- Medium: Iroko (hardwood), pigment(?)
- Dimensions: H. 24 3/4 x W. 15 3/4 x D. 11 3/4 in. (62.9 x 40 x 29.9 cm)
- Classification: Wood-Sculpture
- Credit Line: Fletcher Fund, 1972
- Object Number: 1972.4.2
- Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing
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Grassfields artist
Late 19th–early 20th century
Grassfields artist
Late 19th–early 20th century
Grassfields artist
19th–early 20th century
Grassfields artist
late 19th century
Grassfields artist
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