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We are thankful to Authentica Africa for providing us African Art content to promote art of africa. To know more and buy African Art - visit Authentica Africa - The premier on-line african art and traditions gallery. No part of following contents or images can be reproduced without permission of Authentica Africa.
Mask :: K-P
Lulua Mask
 The Lulua considered themselves to be Luba, a Pemba subgroup. The name Lulua was given to the Bena Moyo who lived on the banks of the Lulua River in Zaire by explorers in 1881. During the late 19th century, Lulua culture underwent drastic changes. In 1875, Lulua king, Kalambam sanctioned new social and religious policies. He ended palm wine drinking, hemp smoking and had all cult carvings incinerated. In 1888 the use of scarification was banned. The impact on Lulua tradition was great. The Lulua were infamous for applying highly stylized incised scarification markings and patterns onto themselves and all related artwork. To them scarification signified individuality and life itself. During the 1920s this tradition was reinstated artistically but unfortunately the patterns were simplified. Lulua carving efforts are focused mainly upon statuary that consists of men, women and mother-child groups.
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Marka Mask
 The Marka people are also known as the Warka belong to the Soninke people whose settlements date back as far as 750 AD in Ghana. Conflicts with the Berbers compelled the Soninke to disperse into neighboring regions. The Marka people now occupy the northern part of Mali. The Bambara and Bozo tribes have heavily influenced their social organization and cult practices. Marka ceremonial masks are generally characterized by elongated faces, long angular noses, red decorative fiber tuffs and metal plaque work. Our mask is a bit of a find whereas the metal sheeting, usually brass, has been left off, leaving a beautiful natural wood grain exposed. The mask has been carefully etched with hundreds of precise circular markings. Red tuffs and beads adorn each ear and dozens of native cowry shells have been added for richness. Please note that artists, the most famous being Picasso, have used Marka masks impressions in their abstract works.
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Ngil Fang Mask
 During the 18th -19th centuries the Fang migrated from the northwest and today are scattered across Cameroon, Guinea and Gabon. Their social structure is based on the clan and family. Cohesion among the eighty or so Fang clans is maintained through powerful religious and judiciary societies called the So and Ngil. The Ngil masks offered here are contemporary versions of the masks that were worn by members who acted as a policing power during the ceremonies and on occasion were worn by those who handed down the sentences of wrong doers. The French colonials banned use of these elongated masks following a series of ritual murders in 1910. The Fang are very proud of the Ngil masks and what they represent. Many variations have been created through the years reinforcing their traditional past while allowing for updated creativity. The masks on display taking on a modern spin are unusual, beautiful and very well crafted. Precisely raised dark brown and white kaolin powdered triangles are the highlight of each shapely mask.
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Nuna Chameleon Mask
 The label Gurunshi refers to the name of various people such as the Nuna, Lela and Nunuma who live in Burkina Faso, Ghana and Togo. Gurunshi masks represent bush spirits. The facial coverings are characterized by bulging eyes surrounded by concentric circles. They are worn by dancers during funerals, initiation ceremonies, fertility rituals and market day festivities. The masks are carefully tended to after each usage. Sometimes they are painted anew other times they are swathed with ceremonial libations as is the case with our offering.
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Nwantantay Plank Mask
 The Bwa of Mali and Burkina Faso are surrounded by the Bamana in north, the Bobo in the west, the Marka in the east and the Gurunsi and Lobi in the south. Each Bwa village is directed by a council of elders. Socially the Bwa are divided into three endogamous professional classes or castes: farmers, blacksmiths and griots (musicians who recount historical information through song.) The spiritual life of the Bwa is based on worship devoted to Do and the founding ancestors. Do intervenes at the time of agrarian rituals and funerals. Do represents the life force of the forest, plant life and the fields. The Bwa people are responsible for creating beautiful long horizontal masks of butterflies and of hawks. An superb example of a Butterfly mask can be found in our “Curators Gallery.” The Nwantantay is another famous Bwa endeavor. These abstract masks have the shape of a tall towering panel, some with a crescent perched on top, with a flat round face as its base. The upper panel is decorated with geometrical motifs, many which are black and white painted checkerboards. These paintings or motifs are linked to Do and the history of the tribe. The mask is worn in front of the face, attached by a thick rope which the dancer holds in his mouth. To see, the dancer peers through the open mouth of the mask for the large eyes framed by concentric circles are not cut out. The Nwantantay masks are worn during funerals, agricultural rituals and during market day festivities.
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Old Baule Mask
 The Baule resisted the invasion of French colonials longer than any other West African people. They managed to uphold their practices, traditions and beliefs during this dark period. The Baule, unlike most tribes have an aversion for strict political systems. They do not engage in initiations, age class systems, secret societies, circumcisions or any other functions that are dictated by hierarchical control. Each village is self governing by elders and everybody participated in discussions, including slaves if there were any. Artistically speaking, the Baule of the Ivory Coast, do not recognize a category of items that are labeled “art”. They do not identify to the “art experience”. The Baule do not hold objects in high esteem for aesthetic reasons rather they focus on the spiritual presence that is related to the object. Despite this fact their craftsmanship in mask and statuary making legendary.
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Pende Mbangu Mask
 The Pende people can trace their ancestry back to northern Angola in the Kwango region and had close ties with the Lunda. They were forced north to their current position in Zaire by a Lunda expansion of territory. At this time they were divided into two distinct groups: the western Pende and the Pende of the east. Although divided into geographically different locations they still considered themselves one people. In 1885 both Pende groups were invaded by the Chokwe and suffered great loss. Belgium colonialism put an end to the Chokwe invasion and the Pende were able to regain their independence. The Pende have a matrilineal society but the sculptors' profession is passed from father to son. The Pende create ritual and practical objects such as chairs, stools, masks, drums, weapons, ivory pendants and divination instruments to name a few.
The western Pende produce around 15 different ceremonial masks. One of the most tribally powerful and internationally famous is known as the Mbangu mask, pictured here. It is recognized by an opposition of black and white that bisects the face and a general distortion of facial features specifically the twisted nose and mouth. The color white, symbolic of the spirits of the dead, in this case represents the hope of being cured of illness. The black pigment stands for the sickness and illness that ravages one throughout life. The combination of black against white symbolizes this struggle. This kind of Mbangu mask also represents an epileptic or someone bewitched by sorcery both thought to be debilitating diseases caused by malevolent forces. It is very rare in Africa to find any work of art that depicts an individual strickened by sickness,infirmity or any type of disease. To dramatize the characters' ailment during a dance, a performer might have worn a hump on his back pierced by an arrow and limped on a cane. In addition he may have carried at his belt a bow with arrows as well as bells for hunting dogs, giving the impression of a hunter incapable of wielding his own weapons. The Mbangu on display is offered in its entirity complete with fiber headdress and costume chin attachment.
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Pende Mbuya Mask
 The Pende people can trace their ancestry back to northern Angola in the Kwango region and had close ties with the Lunda. They were forced north to their current position in Zaire by a Lunda expansion of territory. At this time they were divided into two distinct groups: the western Pende and the Pende of the east. Although divided into geographically different locations they still considered themselves one people. In 1885 both Pende groups were invaded by the Chokwe and suffered great loss. Belgium colonialism put an end to the Chokwe invasion and the Pende were able to regain their independence. The Pende have a matrilineal society but the sculptors' profession is passed from father to son.
This western Pende mask represents one of the three most important and oldest of over twenty different 'Mbuya' masquerade masks known as the Giwoyo, Muyombo or Ginjinga. The masks can only be identified by the adjoining costume, paraphernalia and dance style. All three masks are characterized by a carved wooden face with an elongation under the chin that represents a beard (mwevu). The mwevu is a symbol of the authority and wisdom of the ancestors. This mask has a continuous "V" shaped eyebrow line, high cheekbones and an upturned nose. Off white paint has been rubbed into the elaborate pattern of triangles (njege) that adorn the lower facial area and neck of the piece. The triangles or njege are believed to be fertility symbols. Red and black pigmentation cover the angular motifs of the beard. Raffia fibers are inserted through the holes along the edge of the head and beard that covers the head of the dancer. The wooden top projection can be decorated with parrot feathers or goat hair. This wooden mask is used at hunting and harvest ceremonies, during initiation and circumcision rituals and on other festive occasions. The mask helps to ensure the well being of the village.
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Punu Helmet Mask
 During the 18th century the Punu had to flee their land, under pressure from the Fang and settled in the south and southwest of Gabon. The Punu belong to a nation of people known as The Shira. This group consists of the Eshira, Lumbo, Vili, Galoa and Vunga people. Although part of this collective, the Punu are well known throughout Central Africa partly because Punu ladies are thought to be very beautiful. Adhering to tradition, only Punu males are allowed to carve tribal masks and then only of Punu women. The masks that portray the ladies are so well liked that they can be found on currency that belongs to several Central African countries. The classic Punu mask styling includes a high pointed hairdo (popular among the Punu women), full lips, traditional scarification on the forehead center, high eyebrows, oriental shaped eyes and are sometimes covered or highlighted with a white pigment called kaolin, which is connected with an anti-witchcraft function. The mask on display is of the helmet mask variety whereas it is intended to fit over or on top of the dancers head. This style of mask is a bit more uncommon coming from the Punu making it a good fine for the collector. This headdress has minor signs of wear from usage but the detailing is clear and the colors still vibrant.
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Punu Mask
 During the 18th century the Punu had to flee their land, under pressure from the Fang and settled in the south and southwest of Gabon. The Punu belong to a nation of people known as The Shira. This group consists of the Eshira, Lumbo, Vili, Galoa and Vunga people. Although part of this collective, the Punu are well known throughout Central Africa partly because Punu ladies are thought to be very beautiful. Adhering to tradition, only Punu males are allowed to carve tribal masks and then only of Punu women. The masks that portray the ladies are so well liked that they can be found on currency that belongs to several Central African countries. The classic Punu mask styling includes an eleborate hairdo (popular among the Punu women), a bird crest, full lips, high eyebrows, oriental shaped eyes which are sometimes covered or highlighted with a white pigment called kaolin, which is connected with an anti-witchcraft function. The mask on display has been fashioned from a very rich brown wood whose perimeter has been adorned with a thick hand woven cord. An attractive dark red pigment demarcates the brows and bird beak.
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Punu Prosperity Masks
 During the 18th century the Punu had to flee their land, under pressure from the Fang and settled in the south and southwest of Gabon. The Punu belong to a nation of people known as The Shira. This group consists of the Eshira, Lumbo, Vili, Galoa and Vunga people. Although part of this collective, the Punu are well known throughout Central Africa partly because Punu ladies are thought to be very beautiful. Adhering to tradition, only Punu males are allowed to carve tribal masks and then only of Punu women. The masks that portray the ladies are so well liked that they can be found on currency that belongs to several Central African countries. The classic Punu mask styling includes a high pointed hairdo (popular among the Punu women), full lips, tribal geometrical scarification and slit eyes. This legendary beauty holds true in our offering. The mask on display, found in this region, is used during special dance ceremonies, wherein the ancestors are asked to bless the tribe with good fortune. The mask itself is seething with richness. From the many imbedded cowry shells, representing the money of old, to the more current coinage of the area to the lustrous bronze inlays that adorn the mask. All of these features are set upon a glossy black background that is made in part from wood dust.
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We are thankful to Authentica Africa for providing us African Art content to promote art of africa. To know more and buy African Art - visit Authentica Africa - The premier on-line african art and traditions gallery. No part of following contents or images can be reproduced without permission of Authentica Africa.
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