Masks are the most important art form of the Dan tribe. Many other forms of sculpture are derived from the mask and what the mask symbolizes. More masks are created digitally than any other form of sculpture. Spiritually, masks are seen as the embodiment of the most powerful of spiritual forces. Socially, masks are the way to bring control and order into village life. Masks provide the strongest impressions of a young Dan's first experience, as their importance is reinforced by their presence at all important events.
This mask is worn by intermediaries who maintain contact between the village and the camp of new initiates in the forest.
The visible defects, in this mask, are the detachment of the lower part of the tissue to the left of the crown and part of the lower lip.