Mask "lukwakongo" · D. R. Congo, Lega · ID: 3038079
Eduard Hess, Oberwil, Switzerland (1991)
Description
wood, middle brown patina, remains of kaolin, plant fibre beard, min. dam., small missing parts, slight traces of abrasion;
Lega masks are marks of rank within the different levels of initiation in the “bwami” society. There are five different mask types: “lukwakongo”, “kayamba”, “idimu”, “muminia”, and “lukungu”. Young men received the “lukwakongo” masks during the “yananio” rites. These masks were the most important insignia of rank until the owner moved to the higher level of “kindi” and trades his wooden mask for an ivory one, called “lukungu”.
The object Mask “lukwakongo” with the object ID 3038079 was last part of the auction 79th Tribal Art Auction at March 21, 2015 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 426.
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.