African masks antiques tribal Face vintage Lega Clean geometry primitive Home Décor-8314

41.5/17.5 CM
Presented on a fence and encircled by smaller masks were Idumu masks, which symbolized good character, intelligence, and impeccable behavior. To become initiated, the aspirant was led by a teacher to view a collection of masks and statuettes, which were filled with metaphors that predominantly referred to proverbs and sayings. By carefully observing these metaphors, the future initiate had to guess their more or less complex meanings. The road to seeing the object was prohibited for safety reasons, leading those who were barred from it to undergo costly rituals and potentially become part of the Bwami's lower status group called kongabulumbu, at a high burden on their households. Typically lasting seven days, these initiation activities included.