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| The stark faces of Dan masks easily distinguish
them among African art. The Dan have inhabited the Ivory Coast
and Liberia since the eighth century B.C. A loose confederation
of villages totaling some 350,000 individuals, they have spent much
of their history battling neighboring tribes and sometimes each
other. This gave them a ferocious reputation as each Dan warrior
sought "tin": individual prestige or glory. In former
times "tin" was available through bravery in war; but the
encroachment of colonial governments, and increased centralization
has made tribal conflicts less common. Today's young Dan warrior
must find his "tin" through other pursuits. Unity was
finally brought to the Dan people with the institution of the
Leopard Society or "Go" in the late 1800's. |
