Anthropomorphic face mask "sachihongo" ·  Zambie, Mbunda / Mbalango · ID: 3051610

Description

wood, pigments,

“Sachihongo” most commonly represents the spirit of a cultural archetype - it is considered the incarnation of a mighty hunter, but it can also appear as an ancestor or a soothsayer. “Sachihongo” is symbolic of maleness, power, fertility and wealth.

The mask is is one of a repertoire of Mbunda and Mbalango initiation masks, collectively known as “makishi” (sing. “likishi”). They appear as part of the initiation and circumcision of boys known as “mukanda”.

Littérature comparée

Felix, Marc L. & Manuel Jordan, Makishi Lya Zambia, München 1998, p. 72 f.