Mask "mwana pwo" ·  Zambia, Chokwe · ID: 3034995

Description

wood, slightly encrusted dark brown patina, broad face, separately worked wooden splinters as teeth, facial scarifications, pierced around the rim, small missing parts through insect caused damage, fine cracks, slight traces of abrasion, socle:
depicting a female ancestor, whereupon the Chokwe distinguish two characters: “pwo”, a mature, adult woman and “mwana pwo”, the younger female. Masks with few scarification details are more often said to represent the younger character. The “pwo” mask type appears during boy’s “mukanda” initiation. In the performed dances the roles of women in Chokwe society is characterized. The mask type is always danced by men, who already have reached the highest stage of initiation.

The object Mask “mwana pwo” with the object ID 3034995 was last part of the auction 73rd tribal art auction at May 25, 2013 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 458.

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Comparing literature

Yale Archive No. 0006625 (comparable object)