african mask African Tribal Face Mask Wooden Masque facial Igbo Tribe Handcarved-5194

32.7/21 CM
headdress-free version of the African Igbo Agbogo Mmwo mask borrowing traditional conventions glorifying youth and beauty, this mask features long horizontal incisions featuring eyes, a narrow face and an imposing buzzed nose. Polychrome scarifications and checkered tattoos contrast with the crusty kaolin patina. The white color of the mask refers to ancestral spirits, these masks frequently accompanying the deceased during funeral rites. Indeed, mmwo means 'spirit of the dead'. The Igbo live in the forest in southeastern Nigeria. They managed to associate a deep sense of individuality with an equally strong sense of belonging to the group. Their political system is complex and little known. The village is the most important social unit, the smallest being the extended family. Each village has a high degree of autonomy and is under the authority of the oldest lineage leader. The religion of the Igbo includes on the one hand the god Chuku , supreme creator, considered omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent, and on the other hand the spirit of the earth Ala .