Researching African masks, ceremonies and culture is a great project.  You will be able to find lots of information about masks, statues, symbols, clothing, religious/tribal ceremonies, etc. while searching on the net.  Please remember to cross-reference and cross-check the information that you gather online.  There are no cyber librarians, editors or publishers to verify or validate that the information you find is true.  You need to find many sources with the same and/or similar information to support the information you choose to select.

Masking refers to a broad spectrum of ceremonies and beliefs that have traditionally been practiced in Africa and other parts of the world. To wear a mask and its associated vestment was to conceal one's own identity in the guise of another. Whether this other was a spirit, ancestor, or another person-either revered or feared-the ceremony in which the masked performer participated marked a time of transition, when otherworldly powers were invoked to aid in human affairs. Masks played especially important roles in initiation and funerary rites, as markers of transition when the connections between this world and another were particularly strong. At such times humans sought to reaffirm the order of their society by reference to their beliefs and values exemplified by the masks. On this basis the mask carried the authority demanded by the occasion.

In our society, for the most part, there are no restrictions on who may wear a mask or what they may masquerade as. But in other cultures this is not the case. In traditional Africa, in general, only men wore masks, although the mask itself could be male or female. If permitted to see the masks at all, even in public appearances, women were required to keep at a safe distance, since masks were considered dangerous to them. And only men-specialist carvers, blacksmiths, farmers, or ritual specialists-could make masks.

The links below should help you find information that you need for your project.