Songye panel with Named after the men’s society and its mask, Kifwebe controlled the behavior of women and children and collected and redistributed wealth.
This Pende mask called Mbangu, represents a bewitched man, struck by a series of diseases or curses that wizards have inflicted on him. Height : 30 x 23 cm Materials : Wood, Rafia , Pigment Provenance : Private Collection Estimated age : Mid 20th Century
The facial expression of the mask has been interpreted as many different things, one of the facial expressions it has been interpreted as is peacefulness. The reasoning for this is that the oval shape and the warm colours of the mask symbolize peace. The facial expression has also been interpreted…