African Arts Gallery

African mask Conventional type Hemba, whose rounded jaw split with a large toothed grin is inspired by the features of a primate. Velvety matte patina, minor abrasions and cracking.
Among the types of Hemba masks identified, an anthropomorphic type is reminiscent of statuary, while those such as our example depicting a monkey, the soko mutu, probably belonged, according to J.Kerchache, to the Bugabo and Bambudye secret societies. Its function remains unknown. The smallest examples (around twenty centimeters) would have been carried by hand during rites intended for the protection of the home and fertility. In addition to the janiform kabeja statuettes, the statues of male ancestors, guarded by the hereditary chief of each clan, the fumu mwalo, are called songiti. It was during the 18th century that the Hemba settled on the vast plains of the right bank of the Lualaba. Their society is made up of large clans descended from a common ancestor. The discovery of Hemba statuary dates from decolonization and was only recently differentiated from that of the Luba.