Female ancestor spirit mask "mwana pwo" · Angola, Chokwe · ID: 3049630
sold
EUR 800
Provenance
Peter Loebarth, Hameln, Germany (1998)Bernhard Jäger, Frankfurt a. M., Germany
Size
H: 26 cm
H: 10.2 inch
Description
wood, plant fibre, base
This mask type appears to honour female founding ancestors. Such representations are especially significant given that the Chokwe trace descent through their mothers’ lines.
“Pwo” appears with her male counterpart “cihongo”. Their joint performance is said to bring fertility and prosperity to the community.
“Pwo” masks are often performed at the celebrations that mark the completion of boys initiation into adulthood. That occasion also marks the dissolution of the bonds of intimacy between mothers and their sons.