Songye Kifwebe Mukashi Mask/Superb old African mask of Songye origin-65.5/20.5 CM. Superb old African mask of Songye origin in the south of the R. Traditional female masks called bifwebe mukashi are much rarer than male ones. Entirely painted in white and devoid of a sagittal crest, they are decorated with a black band which separates the two lobes of the skull and extends to the nose, while the eyebrows and the mouth are generally outlined in black or red. Linked to the moon, fertility and the process of procreation, their peaceful demeanor contrasts with the aggressiveness of their male companions. The term tunsadi (“the three fingers of the mask”) is part of the vocabulary specifically designed to describe the different parts of the kifwebe mask, a hermetic corpus that any new initiate must learn by heart. Thus the right side of the face symbolizes the sun, the left side the moon, the eye slit is identified with the entrance of a termite mound, the mouth with a bird’s beak and the chin with the jaw of a crocodile. The ridges are those of the zebra or antelope Tragelaphus scriptus, and the plume extending above the top of the skull is its fiber-lined “horn” topped with feathers containing its protective charms. SIZE OF THE MASK. 65.5/20.5 CM. An original patina covers the item/Made of handmade hardwood. This item is in the category “Collectibles\Cultures & Ethnicities\African\1900-Now\Masks”. The seller is “naga_4823″ and is located in this country: US. This item can be shipped worldwide.

• Provenance: Ownership History Not Available
• Country/Region of Manufacture: Congo
• Handmade: Yes
• Modified Item: No
• Culture: African