Ancestral mask from the Chokwe Mwana Pwo Mask people
$150.00
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$150.00
Ancestral mask from the Chokwe Mwana Pwo Mask people
Item Information Sheet
Title / Mask Name: Chokwe Mwana Pwo Mask
Ethnic Group: Chokwe
Country of Origin: Angola / Democratic Republic of Congo
About This Piece:
A Chokwe Mwana Pwo (Young Woman) mask from the Chokwe people of Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia. The mask is carved with the idealized feminine features characteristic of the Mwana Pwo tradition: a soft oval face, narrow downcast slit eyes evoking serenity, and a small parted mouth. The face is adorned with crosshatched diamond scarification patterns (mipemba) on the forehead and cheeks — one of the most distinctive markers of Chokwe aesthetic identity. The original braided raffia border with hanging tassels remains intact, once connecting to a full performance costume. Mwana Pwo masks are performed by male dancers during mukanda initiation ceremonies to honor female ancestors and embody the archetype of the accomplished Chokwe woman.
Dimensions & Weight:
Height: 24 cm / 9.4 in
Width: 15 cm / 5.9 in
Depth: 9 cm / 3.5 in
Weight: 0.15 kg / 0.33 lbs
(Tip: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 lb = 0.453592 kg)
Provenance:
Collected From: Art dealer, Accra, Ghana
Notes:
Offered in as-found condition. Surface wear, patination, and aging are inherent to authentic artifacts and reflect the object's history, not defects.