MC1871 Bembe Mask Congo DRC initiation mask

MC1871 Bembe Mask Congo DRC initiation mask

Regular price €1,295.00 Sale

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CONGO DRC

Rare BEMBE initiation mask (M'cwe Wa Wondolomina)


Beautiful initiation mask with 4 eyes
Worn by Bembe circumcisers, these masks were intended to inspire respect and fear.

But polysemic, they could also be used during grade passages within the Bwami brotherhood.

The Bembe are established in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, north of Lake Tanganyika. (Not to be confused with the Beembe who are sometimes also spelled Bembe and who are a people of the Kongo group)

They consider themselves descendants of the Lega, to whom they are culturally close. Thus, the Bwamè of the Bembe has many points in common with the Bwami of the Lega.
At the same time, there are other secret associations such as the Elunda and the Alunga, whose

Features
 
OBJECT TYPE: Mask
ETHNICITY: Bembe.
ORIGIN: Democratic Republic of Congo.
MATERIAL: Wood.
DIMENSIONS: Approximately 35 cm
CONDITION: Average
No base

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Bibliography - Bibliography
 

- Masks in Congo, Viviane Baeke, Baeke, Arthur Bourgeois, Kellim Brown, David Binkley, Rik Ceyssens, Marc Leo Felix, Pol Pierre Gossiaux, Manuel Jordanl, Constantin Petridis, Zoë Stroher, Julien Volper, Pan Yanqin. Edition Marc Leo Félix, 2016
- 100 peoples of Zaire and their sculpture. The handbook for collectors, scholars and students, Marc Leo Felix, Brussels: Zaire Basin Art History Research Foundation, 1987
- Face of the Spirits; Masks from the Zaire Basin, Frank Herreman, Constantijn Petridis
- The Bwame of the Babembe Leopard (Kivu-Congo), Pol-Pierre Gossiaux, ULG 2000-2006
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CONGO DRC

Rare BEMBE initiation mask
(M'cwe Wa Wondolomina)

Beautiful initiation mask with 4 eyes
Worn by Bembe circumcisers, these masks were to inspire respect and fear

But polysemous, they could also be used during grade changes within the Bwami brotherhood
They see themselves as the descendants of the Lega of which they are culturally closed. The Bwamé of the Bembe has much in common with the Bwami of the Lega
At the same time, they have other secret associations such as Elunda and Alunga, whose mask helmets are well known by Congo art lovers.

Features:
TYPE OF OBJECT: Mask.
ETHNICAL GROUP: Bembe.
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Democratic Republic Congo
MATERIAL: Wood.
DIMENSIONS: About 13 3/4 inches high ('35 cm)
CONDITION: Medium
The base is NOT included