MC1883 Zoomorphic Owl Mask BEMBE CONGO zoomorphic Owl mask

Regular price €1,595.00 Sale

For English, please have a look below

CONGO DRC

BEMBE Beautiful Owl Zoomorphic Circumcision Mask

Called “ Eluba va butende na cwecwe” or "Emangungu" these masks were worn during the initiation rites of young people.

" The animal that dominates the heights of the forest, the master of death, is the owl ( cwecwe : generic term). His mask will protect, in particular, the circumcised Batende from the poisonous gaze of the sorcerers " (PP Gossiaux, page 19 )

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 helmet mask is well known to Congolese art lovers.

Features

OBJECT TYPE: Mask
ETHNICITY: Bembe.
ORIGIN: Democratic Republic of Congo.

(Ex Belgian Congo, ex Zaire)

MATERIAL: Wood.
DIMENSIONS: Height 46 cm
CONDITION: Average

(See photos)
No base

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Bibliography - Bibliography

- The Bwame of the Leopard of Babembe (Kivu-Congo), Pol-Pierre Gossiaux, ULG 2000-2006

- 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, Mar Leo Felix, Brussels: Zaire Basin Art History Research Foundation, 1987 Page 33

- " Masks of Africa", William Fagg, Fernand Nathan, 1980
- Persona. Masks of Africa. Hidden and revealed identities, Anne-Marie Bouttiaux Editions 5 Continents & RMCA (Tervuren Museum)

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CONGO DRC

BEMBE Large zoomorphic Owl mask

Called “ Eluba ya butende na cwecwe ” or “Emangungu” these masks were worn during the initiation rites of young people.
"The animal that dominates the heights of the forest, the master of death, is the owl (cwecwe: generic term). this mask will protect, in particular, circumcised batende against poisonous eyes of wizards" (PP Gossiaux, page 19)

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

(ex Zaire, ex Belgian Congo)

MATERIAL: Wood.

DIMENSIONS: About 18 inches high (46 cm)

CONDITION: Medium

Please have a look on pictures.

The base is NOT included

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