African Kenya Maasai Warrior Mask

The Story Behind The Mask:
In ancient times the Masaai people were prolific warriors who struck fear into the hearts of rival tribesmen. Their warriors dominated the landscape, commanding respect as they overtook villages and laid the groundwork for what is now modern day Tanzania & Kenya.

Masks were traditionally worn during battle, with Red, Black & Green being their signature colors.

Today, they are one of Africa's largest tribes. They have a reputation for being extremely friendly and kind to locals and tourists, while still holding their warrior roots close. They keep these roots alive through their art, dances, ceremonies and the passing along of knowledge from one generation to the next. 

Why Model The Mask?
Every Masaai mask is unique, they are hand carved and sold to tourists each year as a homage to their warrior heritage. I was fortunate enough to have spent some time in Kenya in 2022 working with multiple Masaai villages. Finding masks outside of Kenya or even 3D models of them is a near impossible feat. They are a major piece of culture that should be documented and preserved digitally for eternity.

During the creation of this file, I used multiple reference images of different designs, a physical mask I brought back and historic photos to hand sculpted this in Blender. 
 

I have uploaded this under a non commercial license to discourage selling of 3D printed versions. The originals are far better and if you have the chance to visit Kenya please support the Maasai people by buying directly from their skilled craftsman.