Kuba (Bakuba, Bushongo), Democratic Republic of the Congo

Pwoom itok dance mask. The Kuba, numbering 250,000, form a confederation of nineteen ethnic groups dominated by the Bushong. They cultivate manioc, corn, gourds, bananas, pineapples, and tobacco. The creator god is not formally worshiped. At one time the Kuba had a religion based on ancestor worship, but this seems to have died out, although divination is still practiced in order to discover causes of evil. The masks of the Kuba are among the most imaginative and colorful in all Africa. They have over twenty different mask types considered embodiments of spirit. In addition to the three royal masks, there are other dance masks, of which the main one is the pwoom itok presented here. Its primary characteristic is the shape of the eyes, whose centers are expressed as cones. Sub-styles have multiplied the variations of this mask.

Material:  wood

Size:  H. 18”, W. 8”, D. 5½”

Price:   $220+$35 (S&H)                                                     [#B1K6M122]