Chokwe Female Tribal Mask

Description

Vintage Chokwe Female Mwana Pwo Tribal Mask Headdress

Region: Gabon Congo Africa

Height: 10 inches / 26cm

This is an authentic and unique vintage Chokwe female Mwana Pwo tribal mask depicting a beautiful young woman female ances­tor.

The Chokwe tribe are living today in central Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia. They are composed of a number of distinct but related peoples, the most prominent being the Chokwe. Other tribal offshoots include the Lunda, Ovimbundu, Lwena, Luvala, Mbwela, and Imbangala who share stylistic elements and figural forms based upon shared mythologies and ritual practices.

Dancers wearing Mwana Pwo masks appear at the initiation and circumcision ceremonies of young boys and at the induction of a new chief, at funerals and fertility rituals.

Dancers wearing Mwana Pwo masks are always accompanied by male character mask wearers. The dancers attract large audiences, especially women. As role models they dance with graceful and elegant gestures to teach tribal women to act with all the positive attributes of an ideal Chokwe tribal woman.

There is section of the lower lip missing. Please view all of the photos…