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