In acquisition number 1999.76 in Gallery 101 at the Dayton Art Institute, you will find the Kuosi (elephant mask) society costume of the Bamileke people in Cameroon, Africa. Standing nearly six feet (67 inches) tall, the elephant mask costume was worn during the Tso (elephant dance) by a secret society of warriors dedicated to protecting their king. Today the custom maintains order in Bamileke society and reminds the king that he is not above the gods. The elephant mask costume is worn to show the king's wealth during the Kuosi celebration. The costume is made of hair, fur, beads, ivory, feathers and string which are rare and express the wealth and power of the king (Dallas Museum of Art). The Elephant Mask Costume has both artistic and ritual value; symbolizes the wealth, privilege and power that the Bamileke people have against their enemies. In Nigeria, the Yoruba ruler Airowayoye 1 of Orangun-ila wears a costume similar to the elephant mask costume seen in Cameroon. Airowayoye 1 wears a beaded veil covering his face, a beaded scepter, and sits on a stool. Just like art in Africa, each piece of the Airowayoye 1 costume has significant meaning. The beaded veil is said to protect the ruler's spectators from the power of his eyes. The beaded staff is a symbol of the ruler's connection to heaven and earth and the height of the crown represents the significant class difference between rulers and common people and (Werbel). Medicines and other ritual materials are also placed inside the crown to increase the ruler's superiority and power. He must share this power with the "mothers" or witches who are represented by the birds (O'Riley 246). There are many similarities between the elephant mask costume and the costume worn by... middle of paper ......ber of their tribes. The significance of both costumes is demonstrated by the rare materials used to present the wearer's wealth and the symbolic colors and animals used to decorate them. The geometric shapes, colors and animals used to decorate both costumes all have symbolic meanings rather than aesthetic purposes, whether it is to symbolize wealth, power, intelligence, strength, life, death, mortality, fertility, etc. Works CitedDallas Museum of Art. The Kuosi. Show online. and http://museum.dma.org/idc/idcplg?IdcService=SS_QD_GET_RENDITION&coreContentOnly=1&dDocName=dmacon_elephant_mask&dID=4957#tk. April 7, 2014.O'Riley, Michael Hamper. Art beyond the West. New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2013. PrintRand. Elephant masks Bamileke Cameroon. Rand African art. Network. April 7, 2014.Werbel, Amy. African art. San Michele College. nd Web. 7 April 2014.