Bidspirit auction | Troh Helmet Mask, Bangua People,

Troh Helmet Mask, Bangua People, Cameroon - African Tribal Art: Night Society (Troh) Helmet Mask Helmet Mask, Bangua People, Cameroon. Carved wood heavily patinated with remnants of encrustation from storage and use. Late 19th/Early 20th Century. Among the Bangwa kingdoms, the central fwa (chief) and a number of secret societies are responsible for the social rule of each kingdom. One such society is the Night Society (Troh) of nine council members, believed to be the descendants of the original nine companions of the founding Bangwa fwa. The Troh society is responsible for the selection and enthronement of the next chief and must pass on secret knowledge to him. Each member of Troh owns a wooden helmet mask or headdress, inherited from his predecessor. They possess supernatural powers and ancestral knowledge to which only members of the Troh may gain access.