Anthropomorphic face mask "okuyi" ·  Gabon, Tsogho · ID: 3044725

Description

wood, kaolin, base

“The “okuyi” or “mukudji” masks are the wooden image of a beautiful deceased girl. The white faces suggesting death masks, not only by their colour, but by their nearly closed eyes with narrow slits as well.

The mask especially performed during mourning rites. The masker was entirely hidden under his costume of fibre and cloth with the cane fly-swat “mwandzu” in his hand. The dancers appeared on high stilts and spoke with ghostly voices, generated by a secret instrument consisting of a small gourd.

The object Anthropomorphic face mask “okuyi” with the object ID 3044725 was last part of the auction 90.I Tribal Art and 90.II Contemporary Native American Art at November 17, 2018 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 241.

You can find more Masks and other popular object types on our related topic pages. You may also be interested in our page on African art.