Gu mask (face mask from Gu masquerade ensemble)

In Guro communities, masks are described as beings, once captured by hunters in the wilderness, and domesticated over centuries by generations of ancestors. Handed down from father to son, the most sacred masks received regular ritual offerings and appeared in public only to mark the funerary rites of important lineage elders. Zamble, zauli, and gu constitute a family of sacred masks, carved and danced exclusively in northern Guro communities. Zamble, “the devourer,” is a heroic and potentially transgressive spirit whose performance opens with the menacing cracking of a whip to clear children from the area. His physically demanding, rapid choreography is typically followed by the appearance of gu, his delicate female counterpart. A great beauty, gu is recognizable by her elaborate coiffure, her slit eyes and the dramatic s-curve created by her bulging forehead and upturned chin. Depending on the family leading the performance she may represent either zamble’s spouse or his mother. While masks that represent zamble are quite cohesive in terms of their form and appearance, Guro artists have been able to interpret gu in much more varied and at times individualistic ways. Beyond individual style, Guro carvers have also established specific archetypes of gu, each of which emphasizes a different aspect of her being. A sub-genre of gu mask that carries a cup or pot on her head is known as palani gu. This type of mask symbolizes the well-to-do Guro woman who has the means to invite others to feast. Her pot represents the surplus of food that she can share.