African Arts Gallery

Belgina collection of african art .

This type of miniature masks , often carved in ivory, were worn as pendants before independence, symbolizing resistance to colonization.
The Western Pendes live on the banks of the Kwilu, while the Orientals settled on the banks of the Kasai downstream of Tshikapa. The influences of the neighbouring ethnic groups, Mbla, Suku, Wongo, Leele, Kuba and Salempasu have been imprinted on their large tribal art sculpture. Within this diversity the realistic Mbuya masks, produced every ten years, assume a festive function, and embody different characters, including the chief, the diviner and his wife, the prostitute, the possessed, etc... The masks of initiation and those of power , the minganji , represent the ancestors and occur successively during the same ceremonies, agricultural festivals, initiation rituals and circumcision mukanda , enthronement of the chief.