The Gelede society honors Yoruba women and maintains peace, moral probity and social stability. Its festivals run through day and night, with the most powerful masks arriving in the communal square under the cloak of darkness. Today arenas are sometimes illuminated by gas lamps or electric installations, but in the past, the only light came from a small fire positioned in front of the musicians. The bold white and black stripes of this mask would have held the limited light levels while the masquerader captivated the audience with songs, poems and dance. The mask’s two blade-like ears hint at its power to cut through the forces of evil. Text paired with “Efe mask and his assistant arriving at performance venue. Ibara, Abeokuta, Nigeria. 1958. From the Gelede Spectacle by Babatunde Lawal, 1996. p.103."