Mask "lukungu"
R. D. Congo, Lega
n'est plus disponible
Provenance
Old Colonial Collection PortugalTaille
H: 20,5 cm
H: 8.1 inch
Description
ivory, natural grains visible, inset eyes and mouth, tribe-typical circle ornaments with central drilling, drilled holes around the rim (with remains of plant fibre cord), min. dam., fissures through age, on wooden base;
“lukungu” masks belong to members of “bwami”- society who already have reached the highest rank of kindi. “Lukungu” means “skull” and should be a hint that the mask is thought to remind of deceased “kindi” members. At initiation ceremonies they were oiled and then displayed on a kind of fence or attached to bigger “muminia” or “idimu” masks.