9 - Mukuyi Dance Mask

Mukuyi Dance Mask with a fan-shaped headdress Soft wood, traces of red and white ochre pigments, ancient patina, and signs of internal wear Punu, Gabon H: 30 cm The broad, unobstructed forehead of this ancient mask is crowned by a headdress of carved braids that fan out. The raised brow ridges form two curves that meet above the nose and accentuate the almond-shaped, half-closed eyes. A single scarification mark adorns the center of the forehead. The small, slightly parted mouth and the delicate contours of the cheeks lend this youthful face a gentle and attentive expression. This mask belongs to the Punu tradition of mukuyi dances. Worn by dancers perched on stilts, these idealized faces combine human beauty with an evocation of the world of the ancestors. Its radiant braids, which harmoniously extend the oval shape of the face, lend it a truly unique character within the collection. General Bibliography: Alisa LaGamma, *The Art of the Punu Mukudj Masquerade: Portrait of an Equatorial Society*, doctoral dissertation, Columbia University, New York, 1995.