While the Sowie Helmet masks are very well known and readily available this set is much more rare. Almost all masks in West Africa are worn only by men. Especially those used to ward off evil as the men protect women during such spiritual battles and are the warriors against powerful evil. These extremely rare masks are used by the women in the bush (jungle) to fight off evil spirits when they are attacking the village. These would only be used by women who were fully indoctrinated and trained in the Sande society AKA Sowie and are considered medicine women throughout tribal history. Their powers were used to protect the children especially from attack thus the female energy is naturally aligned.

Key words: Mende, Sande Society, Sowie, Fighting evil, tribal masks, Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leon, Tribal Masks, West African Tribal beliefs, Temne, Limba, Koranko, ancient arts, medicine woman, Shaman, healing arts, Metaphysical

All original Nomoli artifacts from The Vonderheide Collection come with a certificate of authenticity and provenance as follows.

Provenance:

Museum Exhibited

African Art Museum of Maryland

The Vonderheide collection was exhibited at The African Art Museum of Maryland. Initially scheduled for six months, extended exhibit ran from 2016 through 2018 due to interest and excitement generated. (Video of exhibit on NomoliHunters.com)

Authenticated by Professor Kwaku Ofori-Ansa
World Renowned African Art History Professor
Foremost Expert on Nomoli

“All pieces shown here are believed to be authentic examples of soapstone sculptures and hooded masks from that region. The civil war that occurred in the region in the 1970s and the current anti indigenous traditions by some of the hard-line religious groups resulted in the destruction of traditional art and therefore rendered these types sculptures hard to find. Their acquisition therefore, is deemed a timely intervention to preserve a priceless artistic treasure for posterity.”

Professor Ofori-Ansa on The Shirley and Bennett J. Vonderheide Collection (Reprinted from Museum exhibition poster)

(Video of Professor Ofori-Ansa presenting Vonderheide collection on NomoliHunters.com)

Biography: Professor of African Art History at Howard University. (Retired)

“Kwaku Ofori-Ansa was born in Aboasa, Ghana where he received his academic and professional training in teaching and specialist training in art education and art history at the University of Cape Coast's College of Education at Winneba. He holds MFA and M.Ed. degrees from Howard University and M.Ed. and Ed.D. degrees from Columbia University Teachers' College in New York.

He has authored several articles and self-published educational charts, posters and calendars on African visual culture, including Kente is More than a Cloth, Meanings of Symbols in Adinkra Cloth, Weights of Wisdom: History, Production and Uses of Akan Gold Weights, Royal and Sacred Stools of the Akan People of Ghana, and Royal Linguists Staffs of the Akan People of Ghana. He has also curated many African art exhibitions in Ghana and the US and authored many exhibition catalogues. He has participated in numerous group art exhibitions in Ghana and in the United States since 1973.

He has served as a consultant and a participant in several cross-cultural education programs in Ghana and the US including the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African Art, the National Museum of Natural History's African Voices Project, the African Art Museum of Maryland; the Anacostia Museum of African American Art, Alexandria Museum of Black History, the Martin Luther King Memorial Library, Hammonds House Gallery of African American Art, Africare, Transfrica, the Alliance` Francais` of the Embassy of France, the Embassy of Zimbabwe; Ghana's Mission at the UN, Embassy of Ghana in Washington, DC and for Museums and galleries of such universities as the James Madison University, Morgan State University, Virginia State University, George Mason University, Morgan State University, Columbia University and Howard University.”

2011 Howard University Gallery of Art, Division of Fine Arts (Reprint)

Featured on Ancient Aliens TV show, Podcasts,The Next Truth and Phenomina Magazine

The most widely viewed reveal of Nomoli gods and figurines ever on Television featured the Vonderheide collection and Bennett J. Vonderheide’s appearance as the foremost expert. (Season 14, episode 4) (Short video from the TV show on NomoliHunters.com)

Featured on dozens of Podcasts airing worldwide.

Featured in most comprehensive articles ever written on Nomoli published by The Next Truth (Germany) and Phenomina (Argentina) magazines.

The Shirley and Bennett J. Vonderheide Collection also includes the only footage of Nomoli Artifacts deep in the West African Jungle.

The Vonderheide Collection contains the most widely published and most prominent, world class collection, of Nomoli figurines in history.

Contemporaneously Healing in USA

Nomoli from the Vonderheide collection have been acquired, activated and implemented by healers in the US with amazing results.

Individuals with no formal training in healing have also engaged figurines from the collection with profound results. Testimonials and film being produced for Nomoli Hunters program in development.

Acquired from Exclusive Contacts deep in the bush

Used by Shamans, Medicine Men/Women, Chiefs and Sowie throughout the ages