Fang Mask from Gabon

These masks were worn during the initiation of new members into the group or while policing communities. They are crafted with wood, which is then covered with a layer of soft white clay that is called Kaolinite.  The white color of these masks is associated with things like the spirits of ancestors, death, and male virility or manhood. Most Ngil masks are an oval shape featuring a broad forehead with an elongated chin and nose. One of the defining characteristics are high rounded brows and a smooth, long face which may have meant to reflect the Ngil Society's name, which means "gorilla."

The Ngil were a secret male society within the Fang tribe tasked with protecting and administering justice, as well as keeping peace between clans and villages.The Ngil society took part in rituals and ceremonies that were intended to discourage people of the community that might have evil intentions and fight off witchcraft.