Rare mask "ikwara" ·  Gabon, Punu · ID: 3041895

Description

wood, black dyed facial plane, red paint, with prominent horns and sickle-shaped pierced eyes, forehead tattoo, slightly dam., rep. (breakages at both horn tips), base;
this mask was called “ikwara-mokulu” - “the mask of the night”, because of the secret and mysterious reasons for its use. They have always been displayed at dusk or at night on stilts.They appeared only following judges decisions. In some areas they were said to have been used in specific ceremonies related to the restoration of social order, especially on occasions of collective misfortune such as epidemic, crime or the use of witchcraft. They represented either a male spirit, as opposed to the “okuyi” female masks, or an old woman, as opposed to the commonly accepted theme of the dead young woman.

Publications

AHDRC: 0139822