What tribe is the Lwalwa mask from?
Lwalwa origins are closely tied to the Kete who live to the north and originally migrated from the area currently located between the Luba and Songye Kingdoms. Before the 17th century the Lwalwa were divided into small matrilineal chiefdoms. Later they became part of the ties established between the Lunda and Luba.
What is Lwalwa?
Lwalu, also known as Lwalwa, is a Bantu language of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mbagani is also called Binji, and has been confused in the literature with the Binji language. Ethnologue labels the area Maho assigns to Mbagani as Songe.
Where is the Lwalwa tribe located?
The Lwalwa are a people of almost 20,000 individuals who lived in the triangle formed by the river Kasai and its tributary, the Lueta, in the south-west of the old province of Kasai, on the border with Angola. This small group’s mask belonged to the members of the Ngongo secret society.
When was the Lwalwa mask worn?
Mask (Mfondo) 19th–20th century These masks were worn at dances to celebrate the circumcision and initiation of young men into the Ngongo society and to appease the spirits that control hunting.
What is the Teke mask made of?
The bonga is composed of various materials, but one of the main ingredients is whitish clay or chalk, which, for the Teke, represents the bones of their ancestor, thus conveying protective power.
What is a Pende mask?
Pende masks, made in a realistic style, are among the most dramatic works of all African art. Like the Yaka, small Pende masks fit over the head, helmet-style. The mask is later cast aside and replaced by a small ivory duplicate, worn as a charm against misfortune and as a symbol of manhood.
Do African masks have spirits?
African masks provide a tangible form for invisible spirits, which are personified as human beings, animals, or fantastic composites of both. Spirits—deities, ancestors, and nature spirits (those that inhabit streams, rivers, rocks, and other natural forms)—get involved in the affairs of people, by invitation or not.
What does the Teke mask look like?
The Teke face mask is a round moon-shaped disk that is flat, decorated with abstract geometric motifs, with horizontal stripes that are painted with white or red background and painted on top with dark earthy colors such as blue, black and browns.
What does the Teke mask symbolize?
represent their Yohure masks Teke masks are worn represent the spirits by a secret society that restore society called the Kiduma’. after a death. They The Kiduma take are considered very || charge of social and powerful and spiritual rituals.
What are Pende masks made of?
Pende masks are typically made of wood, with headdresses or beards of raffia fiber. Their eyes usually seem closed, or downward-looking, and the colors favored are black, white, red or ochre. Cowrie shells, beads, and long beards carved of wood are also often present in these African masks from the Pende.
Who are the Lwalwa people?
The Lwalwa people are related to the Lulua and like them, the men are hunters and the women are farmers. They live in the southwest area of the Democratic Republic of the Congo stretching into Angola.
What is Lwalwa sculpture?
Lwalwa sculptors are privileged members of the tribe and are highly paid for their craft. T his Lwalwa mask is an ‘mvondo’ mask which is worn by men. Lwalwa masks are stylized using simple geometric forms to represent the features of the face.
What are Lwalwa masks made of?
African Masks – Lwalwa. Lwalwa masks are carved from a wood called ‘mulela’ and colored with a dye from the fruit of the ‘mukula’ tree, also called the ‘bloodwood’ or ‘sealing wax’ tree. Lwalwa sculptors are privileged members of the tribe and are highly paid for their craft. Their skills are often passed down from father to son.