African Arts Gallery

Among the range of African masks of Mbuya initiation, this mask extended with a trim simulating a braided hairstyle, forms one of the variants of the pota mask of the Central Pende. Brown patina dotted with residual kaolin and ocher pigments. Abrasions, desiccation cracks. Height on base: 75 cm.
The western Pende live on the banks of the Kwilu, while the eastern people have settled on the banks of the Kasai downstream from Tshikapa. The influences of neighboring ethnic groups, Mbla, Suku, Wongo, Leele, Kuba and Salempasu imprinted on their large tribal art sculpture. Within this diversity, the Mbuya masks, realistic, produced every ten years, take on a festive function, and embody different characters that are difficult to differentiate without their costume, including the chief fumu or ufumu, the diviner and his wife, the prostitute, the jester, tundu, the possessed, etc... Mbuya initiation masks related to initiation mukanda and those of power, the minganji, represent the ancestors and occur successively during the same ceremonies, agricultural festivals, initiation rituals and mukanda circumcision , enthronement of the chief. (Art and Life in Africa, C.D. Roy; "Pende" Strother)