Face mask "mbuya"

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Description

light wood, painted with red, white and black pigment, raffia bast bonnet, unusual: incised diamond-shaped patterns in the chin area, traces of insect caused damage, minor missing parts, abrasion of paint (nose), bonnet dam., base;
the Pende broadly distinguish between village or dance masks, generically called “mbuya”, and fraternity or initiation masks, called “mingangji”. Sculptors have created a wide variety of “mbuya” masks, portraying a diverse set of personas. The identification of a specific mask character depends largely on aspects of costume, including the headdress and acessories, and the choreography.

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Comparing literature

Fagaly, William, Ancestors of Congo Square, New Orleans 2011, p. 328

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