Kifwebe Moon Mask
Luba culture, Zaire, Democratic Republic of Congo
First half of the 20th century
Wood, horsehair and pigments
Height: 25 cm; Width: 19.5 cm

A round, domed, single-piece wooden mask, reminiscent of the moon.
Three spirits are associated with Kifwebe masks, two male and one female – of which this mask is an evocation.
The incised and pigmented bands of white kaolin refer, according to legend, to the ditch from which they emerged, and where the spiritual world begins.

This very expressive mask features a square and prominent mouth, its nasal ridge with incised nostrils extends to the forehead to form a crest, the eyes with half-closed eyelids open into two horizontal slits.
The whole is incised with bands arranged concentrically around the symmetrical nasal axis.

This mask was used in initiation rituals announcing the new moon.

Text and photos © FCP CORIDON

Ref.: 7054