A Punu-Lumbo mask is a tribal mask native to the Ogooué River basin in Gabon, especially in the south in Ngounié Province. The masks are extremely valuable to collectors of African art, and have been sold at Sotheby’s for well over $400,000.
What are Punu masks made of?
These Punu masks are hand carved out of wood and set in the colors of White and black.
What did the masks represent?
In the past, masks were used to associate the wearer with some kind of unimpeachable authority. This means that influential people in society used to wear masks as a symbol of power and authority. When a ruler such as a chief or a king died, people used to make masks which resembled that person, so as to honor him.
What are Pende masks used for?
These four masks were made by Pende carvers of Central Africa. This style of mask continues to be worn by entertainers performing before village communities. According to contemporary carvers, the masks’ features represent idealized gender distinctions for appearance and social behavior.
Who is never supposed to look at a Yohure mask?
These masks are considered very powerful and dangerous objects. They must be kept out of sight of women for fear of the effects that the supernatural powers of the Yu spirits may have on them.
Who wore the Dan mask?
These types of masks are made and worn exclusively, by male dancers and only carved by initiated members of the male Poro society. The mask served to protect the young initiate against destructive or evil forces from the time of initiation, till he one day enters the spirit realm.
What does mask mean spiritually?
Masks usually represent supernatural beings, ancestors, and fanciful or imagined figures, and they can also be portraits. The localization of a particular spirit in a specific mask must be considered a highly significant reason for its existence.
What do the two masks represent?
The comedy and tragedy masks symbolize the theater and represent the traditional generic division between comedy and tragedy. They are symbols of the ancient Greek Muses, Thalia (the Muse of comedy) and Melpomene (the Muse of tragedy).
What purpose do masks serve in Africa?
Africa possesses a long tradition of masking and it is believed that masks were integral to their culture long before the first century B.C. The wide variety of uses for masks, which included rituals of myth, creation, and hero worship, as well as fertility rituals for increase, agricultural festivities, funerals or …
Why do Punu wear a white face mask?
The mask represents the spirit of an ancestor and is commonly found throughout western and central Gabon. The white face represents the soul of an ancestor. The beautiful hairstyle is a common feature among the Punu women. In some cases scarification on foreheads are clearly visible.
What was the Punu mask a form of Art?
First, it represents expressive culture because the object itself is a form of art. It celebrates idealized female ancestors in the Punu tribe. On the other hand, it represents reflective culture because of the story behind the mask. It is believed to identify sorcerers in a magical rites, for example in the Mukuji Rite. What is it made of?
What kind of hair do Punu people wear?
They are portrayed with their traditional high-domed hairstyle, diamond- shaped scarification marks on their forehead and they often have eyes that display oriental characteristics. The elaborate Punu hairstyles suggest that the wearer is wealthy as her hair has not been flattened by the need to carry goods.
Where did the Punu tribe of Africa come from?
Since the 18th century, the Punu have lived on the left bank of the Upper Ngoume River in Gabon. They are one of a group of tribes known as the Shira who originally came from the Luango kingdom of Angola. Senufo mask from about 1950.
