African Arts Gallery

Cubic structure for this tribal mask striped with large bands. Minor chips, abrasions.
Height on base: 32 cm.
Three types of African mask Kifwebe are listed: the masculine (kilume) generally with a high crest, the feminine (kikashi) would present a more modest or even absent crest, and finally the largest embodying power (kia ndoshi).
Also practiced by the Luba, the cult kifwebe ("mask" in Songye) acted as a secret police in favor of power, so as to control individuals through magic. Worn with a long costume and a long beard made of natural fibers, Kifwebe masks also appeared during crucial stages of initiation ceremonies, at the new moon.
The Songye came from the Shaba region in the DRC and settled along the Lualaba River in the middle of savannah and forests. They are governed by the yakitengé and by local chiefs. The Bwami secret society, however, counterbalances their power.