Object Description
With a beautiful dark patina, this early 20th century wooden mask shows a naturalistic human face, flattened, with the forehead, open mouth and stylised teeth in light relief; the ridged, elongated nose and the diagonal ridges on the forehead are characteristic of these ‘Dagara’ masks, corresponding to the facial scarification patterns in use by members of the tribe.
Traditionally theses wooden mask were used in the series of initiation rituals of the Ngbaka people of present-day Democratic Republic of Congo. Known as ‘Gaza’, meaning ‘that which gives strength’, these ceremonies followed a period of seclusion for the young men involved, assisted by former initiates, or ‘bugaza’, as they prepared for adult life.
Dimmensions: H 32cm, D 10cm, W 22cm
Height on stand 48cm