# Mask

- By: Sha (Nigeria ; Coastal West Africa)
- Date: Late 19th century
- Medium: Wood and rubber
- Classification: Mask
- Dimensions: 58.5 × 19.1 × 30.5 cm (23 × 7 1/2 × 12 in.)
- Culture: Nigeria
- Credit line: Gift of Richard Faletti, the Faletti Family Collection
- Museum: [Art Institute of Chicago](https://www.artic.edu/artworks/155960)
- Rights: [Public domain (CC0)](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- Picture: https://www.artic.edu/iiif/2/395c01ba-e647-5f43-4265-550aa172e08d/full/!1648,1080/0/default.jpg
- Who can see it: Tweens profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

This strikingly abstract mask was once covered with potent red abrus seeds that were held in place by a resin paste. It would have been used in initiation rituals for one of six age-grade associations. Among the Sha people, a mask like this one represents a male spirit called Akirang who had a female counterpart named Aja. The Kulere equivalent of Akirang was Asho, a spirit associated with human and agricultural fertility.

Description © Art Institute of Chicago, CC BY 4.0