Where is this mask from?

Okay, Internet! Help me please! I found this in the thrift store. It is beautiful and obviously handcrafted. It seems old and the beading is pretty intricate. I would love to know where it’s from and learn more about it’s culture. If it is something that needs to be somewhere specific (I dunno, like a graveyard or a church or where ever), I have no problem finding a good home for it. But it seems too beautiful to let sit there in the thrift store gathering dust. And if it wouldn’t be disrespectful, I’m more than willing to give it a place in my home.

Can you help me? Any ideas? Reblog if you can. Email me for more photos. When/if I find out, I’ll let everyone know.

Edit: So far, everyone seems to think it’s from the Luba tribe in Central Africa (but possibly made in Ghana). Everyone being the comments online and my friends (who are awesome-sauce and well-versed in West African culture and history). The next two questions I gotta ask are:

- What was it created for?

- What should I do with it?

 Some folks might think, “If you like it, just hang it up and enjoy it!” It’s not that simple for me. The line between cultural appropriation and cultural exchange is pretty important to me. I think if you find something that is sacred to someone else, you have to respect it. But I don’t want to sell it to someone just make some quick cash. Nor do I want to throw it away. That would be even more disrespectful in my eyes. Since it kinda fell into my lap, I want to handle this as best I can. And from a spiritual point of view, I don’t want to hang something in my home unless I know it’s history. Items can hold energy and that energy can be dangerous if you don’t take time to understand it. So for now, it’s resting on a counter until I figure out what to do with it.

Any comments, questions and suggestions are welcome!