Small African Chokwe Pwo Mask

Description

Small tribal mask in the Pwo style from the
Chokwe or Lwena people
of the Democratic Republic of Congo in central Africa.
Please note that this is a small piece. Measures approximately 7" inches from the top of the mask to the chin.
Carved from wood, with an attachment made from
woven fiber
and an earring consisting of beads and an old metal coin from Belgian Congo.
Without stand.
Acquired from a private Canadian collection.
From The Met's website: Pwo, a classic Chokwe mask genre, honors founding female ancestors. Such representations are especially significant given that the Chokwe trace descent through their mothers' lines. Pwo's joint performance with her male counterpart, Cihongo, brings fertility and prosperity to a community. The cultural ideals of these two iconic representations developed during the precolonial period continue to inspire contemporary artists in the region.
The markings on either cheek are described as a solar disc joined by tears. Chokwe masks are often performed at the celebrations that mark the completion of initiation into adulthood. That occasion also marks the dissolution of the bonds of intimacy between mothers and their sons. The pride and sorrow that event represents for Chokwe women is alluded to by the tear motif.