Chokwe Pwo beautiful girl mask

African art and masks

Mainly established in Angola and to a lesser extent in D. R Congo and Zambia, the Chokwe, which in reality include several sub-groups, generated a very particular artistic production, linked above all to the Mukanda initiation, composed mainly of masks depicting a multitude of characters. Among these masks, the famous pwo or mwana pwo, representing the young woman in the prime of life as we see an example in a context photo: a young Chokwe woman wearing beautiful and numerous scarifications on the body.

This type of mask was worn only by men who imitated the gait of these young women. The mask was accompanied by a braided fiber outfit as can also be seen in the photos. Here the well-preserved mask still wears its rope headdress. It should be noted that over time, if the coping deteriorated, it could be replaced. Thus, the caps are sometimes more recent than the masks themselves.

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Data sheet

Presumed dating
Mid XXth century
Size
19 x 12 cm (mask only)
Ethnic group
Chokwe / Tchokwe / Tschokwe
Material(s)
Wood, rope
Country
Angola
Origin
Tribal Art Collection Portugal
Condition
Excellent

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