Male ancestor spirit mask "chihongo" · Angola, Chokwe · ID: 3046587

Name: Male ancestor spirit mask "chihongo"
SKU: 3046587
Availability: Discontinued

not available anymore

Provenance

Portuguese Collection

Size

H: 24 cm

H: 9.4 inch

Description

wood, colour pigments, metal, coin (portuguese/ 1892), base

“Chihongo literally means “spirit of wealth” and accordingly they are used to symbolise wealth and power.

The masqueraders wearing the mask pay homage to male ancestors believed to be responsible for the prosperity and strength of the community.

Traditionally used to represent the male chief ancestor “chihongo”, the masks were once only reserved for use by chieftaincy during royal events such as the initiation of a new chief.

“Chihongo’s” counterpart is “pwo”, which embodies a female ancestral spirit. Their common appearance during masquerade celebrations is to bring fertility, peace, wealth and well-being to the village.

The object Male ancestor spirit mask “chihongo” with the object ID 3046587 was last part of the auction 94th Tribal Art Auction at March 7, 2020 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 360.

You can find more Masks and other popular object types on our related topic pages. You may also be interested in our page on African art.

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