Handmade Back To My Roots African Wood Mask (Ghana)

A magnificent piece of decor, this wall mask is designed by Winfred Ansah Okoampah of Ghana. Engraved aluminum plates add detail to the black sese wood face. Hand-carved onto the top of the mask is the figure of a bird. The artisan calls the mask Sankofa, an Akan word meaning back to my roots.

Product Features: 

• Dimension: 25" H x 8.25" W x 3.9" D
• Weight:  2.53
• Color: Black
• Material: Sese wood, aluminum
• Intended as wall decor
• Hand-crafted item -- color, size and/or motif may vary slightly
• Made In Ghana

Story Behind the art:  

My name is Winfred Ansah Okoampah and I was born in Eastern Ghana in 1970. I am a woodcarver. My friends describe me as innocent and serious about work. I hate cheating.  My dad died when I six years old and it has been very difficult since then. I lived with an uncle who was a farmer. He didn't have enough money to help me to send me to school.  After I completed fourth grade in 1989, I couldn't continue my education because I didn't have the money for it. I followed a friend who used to visit a craft village and became interested in carving. Since then, I've mastered this craft and trained three people.  My favorite part about this work is the finishing. The most challenging part is the sanding.  For my carvings, I find inspiration in my dreams. I use sese wood and acrylic paint. My community benefits from my work by using the scraps from my carvings as firewood.  A difficult moment in my life was when I fell sick and it took me seven months to recover. I lost a child during that period, but I have managed with the help of God and overcame that.  A moment that makes me laugh was when a Chinese man came to my shop to buy a carving, but couldn't speak English. We had to negotiate the price by writing on a paper and settled at an agreed price.

Please   allow 10 business days for the product to leave our warehouse and to receive   tracking information. You should expect to receive this item within 15   business days.