Body mask "ndimu" ·  Tanzania, Makonde · ID: 3034322

Description

wood, brown and black paint, accentuated navel, pierced around the rim, min. dam., slight traces of abrasion, metal socle;
the female body mask was used at initiation rites. It was part of the costume of a “ndimu” mask dancer, called “amwalin-dembo”, depicting a pregnant woman. It was always worn by a male dancer and was supplemented by a face mask. The dance demonstrated the pain of giving birth.

The object Body mask “ndimu” with the object ID 3034322 was part of the auction 72nd tribal art auction on March 9, 2013. The object with the lot number 492 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,800 with an asking price of EUR 1,200.

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Comparing literature

Phillips, Tom (Hg.), Afrika, Die Kunst eines Kontinents, Berlin 1996, p. 175