Masque "mwana pwo" · R. D. Congo, Tchokwé · ID: 3051803
Vendu
4 600 €
Provenance
Joseph Christiaens, Brussels, BelgiumDescription
wood, pigment, metal pins,
For a mask by the same artist, see AHDRC 0000931.
The “mwana pwo” - mask represents a female ancestor, but is danced exclusively by men. The mask appears at different ceremonial occasions, with the “mukanda” male initiation as its primary venue.
The carved scars below the eyes are particularly meaningful; they represent tears, “masoji”, that reflect the suffering mothers endure when their boys go into “mukanda” to become adults.
Littérature comparée
Wastiau, Boris, Visions of Africa, Chokwe, Milan 2006, pl. 58