Helmet mask "hemba" · D. R. Congo, Suku · ID: 3045330
not available anymore
Provenance
Jean-Paul Agogué, Champigny-sur-Marne, FranceSize
H: 43 cm
H: 16.9 inch
Description
wood, polychrome painted, grass fibre, rep., base
The “hemba” mask was first danced within the initiation camp. A notable of the village had previously treated the mask with a concoction of powerful ingredients and the blood of a cock had been sprinkled over it. Additional charms are placed inside the mask or attached to its shaggy fringe that would “shoot” any witch who might attempt to harm the dancer.
Comparing literature
Bourgeois, Arthur P., Art of the Yaka and Suku, Paris 1984, p. 162