Cameroon is home to many grassland peoples who still use ceremonial accessories, such as masks as part of their rituals. The Passport Masks are decorative home accents created by African artisans. Each design is unique and based on the creator's vision.
Small Passport masks serve to mark the passage of an initiate into the men secret society and his elevation into the higher ranks. The small masks may be presented at meetings of senior members of the men society to indicate their right to be present and participate in the deliberations.
Diviner’s would recommend that small masks be given to children to wear to ward off evil witches or cure illnesses.
Most of these miniature masks mirror the shape and features of the larger masks that they were modeled after. Like the full-sized dance masks the smaller masks reflect the great diversity of styles and forms of the larger masks.
