Elephants were royal animals Members of secret societies, exclusive groups of men charged with maintaining the peace and safety of the kingdom, wore these elephant masks during rituals. Notice the circles that make the elephants' ears and the fancy beadwork that creates their long, flat trunks. Images of elephants represented royalty in the sacred or precious objects of Grassfields peoples, as well as in many other African kingdoms. Grassfields kings or fon, adopted the elephant as one of their royal animals. Objects made from elephant hide or from ivory were always reserved for fon.