Bell mask "alunga" · D. R. Congo, Bembe II (Eastern Bembe) · ID: 3039477
Swiss Private Collection
Description
wood, brown patina, red and white pigment, of cylindrical form, carved with four large eyes in shape of vaulted ovals with raised star emblems, together with round mouth openings and ear-like projections forming stylized faces, on ring-shaped base with drilled holes for attachment, slightly dam., fine cracks, rep. (crack at the base fixed by aglet), base;
representing “alunga”, a forest spirit also believed to be a god of the dead. The dance crests are used in hunting and during ancestor veneration ceremonies. The rituals are organized by members of the “bacwa” secret society. To clear a path, an assistant preceded him with a ceremonial wood knife. His ties to the world of the dead made him potentially helpful and dangerous. He could demand reparation from those who prayed to him. An oracle pronounced his will. The mask supports a large, complex array of plumes and is worn with a costume that completely covers the dancer.
Comparing literature
Bouttiaux, Anne-Marie, Persona, Masks of Africa, Tervuren 2009, p. 214 f. Schädler, Karl-Ferdinand, Encyclopedia of African Art and Culture, Munich 2009, p. 93