The Bété are part of the Krou ensemble of Côte d'Ivoire. This people is established on the left bank of the Sassandra River southwest of the Ivory Coast. The Bété mask is an artistic and cultural figure and is linked to the war masks and justice masks used by this ethnic group.

Bété masks usually come out during happy or unhappy manifestations. As there are no special traditional festivals, masks are solicited during festive ceremonies or during bereavements. Animal masks also come out during the days of large gatherings, especially during the days of community marches.

Originally linked to the war, its mission was to prepare men for combat. The rounded projecting front is often enhanced with brass nails. The face always has horizontal elements including horns, or circular protuberances joining frontal like the legs of the spider on its prey. Like a beak, the tubular mouth forms a gap from which a roar could escape. After armed conflict, this mask presided over peace restorative ceremonies and customary justice sessions. These masks were sculpted to provoke fear and embody the negative forces of the forest. They were exhibited at funerary ceremonies or on the occasion of large festivals of meetings between several villages