Afrikanische kunst, African mask, Songye tribe mask, Congo mask Print

SONGYE PEOPLE The Songye people, sometimes written Songe, are a Bantu ethnic group from the central Democratic Republic of the Congo. They inhabit a vast territory between the Sankuru and Lubilash rivers west and the Lualaba River in the east, a vast group of villages can be found in present-day East Kasai province, parts of Katanga and Kivu Province. SONGYE MASKS Generally, ancient masks in the Kingdom were symbol of power to the owner. The power were coming from spiritual world and the ancestors. The masks were: 1. Ritual or ceremonial object 2. Decorative or ornamental object (Art) Male Kifwebe masks were mainly used for initiation ceremonies, circumcision, and the enthronement and funerals of the supreme chief. The face of a typical Kifwebe masks is covered with linear incisions, a square protruding mouth and a linear nose set between globular pierced eyes. Male masks typical have a centered crest on the top of the masks and its size varies on the status of the dancer wearing it, elder dances within the Bwadi bra Kifwebe have larger centered crest compared to others. Female Kifwebe masks was typically used for public ceremonies and reproduction rituals. women within the songye community viewed woman as the bearer of children and good fortune. To them, women representation of continuation of life and cultural tradition. The features of the female kifwebe mask was meant to portray these ideas. Typically they share similar characteristics as the male mask however it facial features are more gentle and rounded evoking the tenderness of a mother as well as the power to protect and support her children. The structure of the face is longed, the mask itself is covered in white paint or Kaolin. PEOPLE: Songye MATERIALS: Wood, pigment DIMENSIONS: Height: 41 cm- 16.14" Width: 33 cm- 12.99" UNITY: 1