code: 2024-SE

an African ceremonial head mask, representing a woman's face, a

Ocuyi / Okuyi or Mukuye / Mukuyi / Mukudji mask,

from the Punu or Lumbo Peoples from Gabon

the female face with eyes pierced by a thin slit, highlighted by very fine and elegant eyebrows in an arc, the forehead decorated with nine keloids forming a diamond, the ears in relief, the finely braided headdress, composed of a high central bun and two side pigtails, each part separated by smooth braids, the headdress and facial elements darkened, the face painted with kaolin - a white mineral coating.

The characteristics the Punu mask contain are the Punu women's traditional hairstyle, a scarification of nine diamonds on the forehead, Oriental shaped eyes, a nose, ears, and embossed lips. The hairstyle is shaped in a high bun symbolizing the wearer is wealthy, because they do not carry goods on top of their head and the diamond shaped scarification represents the nine Punu clans.

These masks were worn by male dancers standing on high stilts during funerary ceremonies called mukudja. Referring to a young woman's spirit, the white face, covered with kaolin, symbolized reincarnation.

age: unknown, this type of mask is known from the late 19th century on.

condition: firm, stable, some signs of age and handling, some loss of kaolin, 

on the top of the coiffure is a hole - we do not know the purpose of that,

we did not restore, nor clean, nor polish it

provenance: a private collection of African tribal art in The Netherlands, collected since 1960,

height: circa 27 cm / circa 10.6 inch

width: circa 18 cm / circa 7 inch

weight: circa 565 gr.

please note: we are not experts, after limited, unprofessional research we have attributed this item to a land, country, tribe or people, to the best we could, do judge for yourself the tribal affilation and the correct age before buying or bidding, we will not accept returns if the buyer finds that we are wrong concerning these matters, so we sell "as is"

free world wide shipping

- this means that the shipping costs are included with the sale price

- you wil be ordering registrated shipment provided by PostNL from The Netherlands, EU

- this will be according to the PostNL conditions and destinations

- the shipping will be, if possible, with priority, tracking and insurance offered by PostNL for loss during shipment

- the shipping costs differ per country

- at pick-up the shipping costs will be refunded or deducted

- shipment out of the EU will be under Incoterm DAP and HS-code 9705.31

we are: delta 98 den haag

The Hague, The Netherlands, EU

registrated at: Chambers of Commerce in The Netherlands / KvK Haaglanden: file 27133335