Wooden ceremonial mask made for the Bwadi ya Kifwebe association, a group that polices social behavior and neutralizes disruptive elements within the Luba people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The masks are worn in a variety of ceremonies.
Wooden chief's stool decorated with four broad supports, each with two female figures, hands clasped over the stomach. The wood surface is treated with a white coloring agent. Origin Dogon people of Mali.
Heavy dark wooden chief's stool supported by a carving of a female figure. Origin Kuba people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
N'domo mask used in the second of seven initiation rituals for boys of the Bambara people of Mali. The decorated vertical wooden posts represent the wisdom of the cosmos and the long nose symbolizes vitality.
A funerary statuette common among the Hongwe (Mahongwe), Kota (Bakota), and Fang people of Gabon. The statue is placed upon a box containing the remains of an ancestor and acts as the guardian of the reliquaries.
Oval ancestoral or spirit board with abstract designs. Ancestor boards are kept in men's ceremonial houses and can represent personal spirits or simply be used for decoration. Origin Papua New Guinea.
Front and profile views of a male wooden figure carrying a vessel in left hand and a dagger in right. Origin Bena Lulua people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
Wooden stool with a base and top joined by four carved vertical supports. Seat contains a circular band of cowrie shells and inlaid ivory. Origin West Africa.
Tall wooden mask with a rectangular box for the head. The top portion depicts a female figure below a perched bird with a downward thrusting arrow. Origin is either Dogon or Mossi people of Burkina Faso.
Front and profile views of a female wooden figure carrying a vessel in each hand. Origin Bena Lulua people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
Mask used during the performance of tambuan (or tumbuan) dances. It is woven from raffia and and has a beak, cross-hatched crown, circular eyes, and reeds projecting from circular ear rings. Origin Papua New Guinea.
