This piece has significant signs of usage and is in the ownership of a Hamburg collector. The typical patterns of the Chokwe are here punctuated instead of being engraved – the area around her eyes is simply magic.
The two most important wooden Chokwe masks illustrate a male and a female ghost. The male, called cihongo, stands for prosperity and strength, the female mwana pwo, represents the female ancestor and its fertility.
Performed by male dancers, the mask is never to be missed at public events. Both their graceful and their as beneficial dance shows the community the important role of the female at village festivals, courtly ceremonies and in the course of initiations: The graceful movements within the danced unifying man and woman advise and encourage the girls to move accordingly in the everyday life. |
