PUNU - GABON
White feminine mask in carved wood... Lot 21
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PUNU - GABON
White feminine mask in carved wood with patina and pigment, the headdress with a shell
(heavy wear)
Height : 30,5 cm 30.5 cm - Width : 20 cm - Depth : 13 cm
Note : The Punu are today the main group in the provinces of Ngounié and Nyanga. The Punu sculpt female masks that they cover with kaolin and that evoke the spirits of the ancestors. The mukudji mask is a form of expression common to many closely related regional groups and is worn during the performance, called mukudj, which is an exceptional event. The mukudj inspires a sense of awe as the performer dominates the audience on stilts that can be over three meters high. These masks belong to the male society of mwiri which is presented by a dancer on stilts. The dancer, dressed in a costume of vegetable fibers, holds in each hand a fly swatter that he brandishes to threaten the population. A symbol of authority, he appears in the village courtyard during the mourning period of great personalities, at the birth of twins, and during initiation rites.
Source: "Les Forêts natales - Arts d'Afrique équatoriale Atlantique - Actes Sud Musée du Quai Branly Jacques Chirac - October 2017"
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