bepekends

Bepekends are ceremonial wooden masks described in the fictional world of Eldara as integral to the harvest festival of the Bepe people. They are carved from a single block of cedar or rosewood and typically stand 40 to 60 cm tall. The face is stylized, often with closed eyes and a solemn expression, and the surfaces may be painted with ochre and ink, sometimes inlaid with shells or stones. A key aspect is that the mask is considered a vessel for memory, believed to host the presence of an ancestor during the festival.

Etymology and form: The term bepekend derives from the Bepe language, with bepe meaning "memory" and kend meaning "figure" or "mask." This links the object to its ceremonial function of preserving and presenting ancestral memory during rites.

History: The earliest references appear in Bepe oral histories and later art fragments dating to the 17th century. Carved masks spread through coastal villages after contact with inland traders, with regional styles developing over centuries. In modern times, bepekends are still produced by a limited number of master carvers, and non-traditional versions have emerged for ceremonial and display purposes.

Construction and use: Each bepekend is carved by a designated artisan, often within a kin group, and passed down through families. During the festival, performers wear the masks, enact dances, recite ancestral lineages, and present offerings. The mask is treated with reverence and is typically worn only within ceremonial contexts.

Contemporary status: Bepekends are recognized in some communities as intangible cultural heritage; historic specimens are documented by museums, while contemporary artists also produce bepekends as cultural artifacts and as carvings or sculptures for sale.

See also: masks, ritual sculpture, intangible cultural heritage.