The stealing of the masks represents the continued predatory interest of foreign bodies in Africa even after the continent’s independence. Despite the masks rotting, symbolizing the deterioration of “true” African identity, there are those who still seek to steal, loot, and pillage from the continent’s rich history. At least, in Salim’s eyes, Father Huismans genuinely appreciated and understood the cultures from which they came. To anyone else, they are simply emblems of ownership and sovereignty.