African Baule Kple-Kple Goli Ceremonial Carved Wooden Mask. Goli is a traditional African dance and masquerade of the Baule (or Baoulé) people of the Ivory Coast, adopted from the neighboring Wan people between 1900 and 1910. The dance is performed for important occasions like funerals or for entertainment, with a single performance lasting an entire day. It features four different types of traditional masks worn in a specific order: kple kple, goli glen, kpan pre, and kpan. These masks carry complex symbolism, with each stage featuring a “male” and “female” representation, such as the red and black kple kple masks. Ring attached to back for wall hanging. 

Size :11 1/2 x 16 1/2 x 4 1/4 in. 

The Baule are an Akan people and one of the largest ethnic groups on the Ivory Coast of Africa, traditionally living as farmers in the central region between the Bandama and N’Zi Rivers. The Baule Kingdom was established around 1730 by Queen Abla Pokou following a migration from the Mande Kingdom in Ghana, lasting until the French colonization in 1893. The tribe became dominant in the region during the mid-20th century due to their control of the profitable cocoa, rubber, and coffee industries. The Baule people are widely known for their refined artistic talent, producing diverse sculptures, face masks, human figurines, and works in gold, bronze, and ivory. Their art often intersects with that of the neighboring Yaoure tribe and is imbued with spiritual significance, representing protective or ancestral beings. These sacred works, particularly the ram-headed Bonu Amuen figures, are highly collectible due to traditional restrictions on who can view them.

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