Pende Nganga Ngombo Mukhetu mask, DRC - Lot 98

Pende Nganga Ngombo Mukhetu mask, DRC A diviner's mask, this Mbuya African initiation mask depicts a female Nganga Ngombo diviner, according to the markings on the forehead and cheeks. It expresses the feminine and masculine qualities of the female diviner, thanks to a well-developed sensory acuity. The face is adorned with a headdress made of wickerwork, canvas and plant fibers. The patina is a mixture of red ochre bark and palm oil. 30 x 21 cm Sold without base The Western Pende live on the banks of the Kwilu, while the Eastern Pende have settled on the banks of the Kasai downstream from Tshikapa. The influences of the neighboring Mbla, Suku, Wongo, Leele, Kuba and Salempasu ethnic groups have left their mark on their extensive tribal art sculpture. Within this diversity, the realistic Mbuya masks, produced every ten years, have a festive function, and embody various characters 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, linked to mukanda initiation, and minganji power masks, represent the ancestors and are performed successively during the same ceremonies: agricultural festivals, mukanda initiation and circumcision rituals, enthronement of the chief ( Art and Life in Africa, C.D. Roy ; "Pende" Strother).