Description
DRC/Chokwe. Pwo" mask with triple headdress in carved wood. 1st half of the 20th century. H 40 X 18 cm including base. This type of mask represents a notable female ancestor of the Chokwe people, with distinctive features characteristic of the beauty admired in young women. Although they represent women, they are only worn by men during masquerades. Women play an important role in Chokwe society as they trace descent through their mother's lineage. The scarification marks on the cheeks represent tears, and the masks are used in initiation ceremonies for young men where the bonds of intimacy between mother and child are ritually broken. Prov. P. Loose (Amber Congo Gallery)
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DRC/Chokwe. Pwo" mask with triple headdress in carved wood. 1st half of the 20th century. H 40 X 18 cm including base. This type of mask represents a notable female ancestor of the Chokwe people, with distinctive features characteristic of the beauty admired in young women. Although they represent women, they are only worn by men during masquerades. Women play an important role in Chokwe society as they trace descent through their mother's lineage. The scarification marks on the cheeks represent tears, and the masks are used in initiation ceremonies for young men where the bonds of intimacy between mother and child are ritually broken. Prov. P. Loose (Amber Congo Gallery)
