Chess re-imagined

Native African tribes have always harboured a strong connection to the spiritual world through rituals, ceremonies, and traditions. The cycle of life and death was not something to mourn or to fear because the dead protected the living and granted them blessings that allowed their existence to thrive with new life. Masks played an important role in these traditions. They were created to portray ancestors, animals, and mythical heroes in the hopes that the spirit would be pleased and would bless the tribe with protection or good tidings. They were also worn in celebratory circumstances. The pieces are replicas of authentic African Tribal Masks created based on hierarchy of how the masks are worn and who wears them. The specific meaning of each mask directly corresponds to the position it holds on the chessboard.