Northeast Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire

Dan (also called Gio or Yakuba)

Wood, kaolin paint
Early-Mid 20th century
Length: 27.5 inches
Idiophone – Struck Directly  – Slit Drum

A figurative ceremonial slit drum of the Dan People. It is rare to find slit drums such as this from the Dan people.  There is a smooth dark weathered patina with reddish paint on the body around the slats, a white kaolin painted face, and what appears to be actual teeth (enamel) in the sculptured mouth.  The Dan are known for their music and dancing as well as for the artistry and variety of their masks. Traditional Dan society was acephalous, that is, its political organization was not centralized. Leadership was vested in a council of elders. Masks, serving as agents of social control, enforced the council’s rules and orders. Dan sculptors mainly produce masks which deal with virtually every element in Dan society, including education, competition, war, peace, social regulation, and of course, entertainment. They also produce stylized wooden spoons and intricate game boards used for mancala, a common game of “count and capture.” Music permeates almost every aspect of African tribal life. Important simply as entertainment it is also an integral part of many ceremonies and rituals, particularly those connected with birth, initiation, marriage, and death.