African mask antiques tribal Face vintage Traditional bamileke shield-8723

35.3/16.3 -CM

The Bwadi mask, also known as the Bifwebe mask, features a sculpted design akin to that of the Kifwebe mask. It boasts a two-toned patina with a matte finish, as well as a few abrasions. Multiple variations of the Kifwebe mask, pluralized as Bifwebe, or the "mask of the hunt for death" (as coined by Roberts), include the kilume type, which is masculine and has a tall crest, the kikashi type, which is feminine and has a nearly absent crest, and the most powerful embodiment, the kia ndoshi. This type of mask, still utilized today, seems to have originated from the borderland between the northern Luba and the southeastern Songye. During significant ceremonies, the masks are worn with a lengthy suit and a beard made of natural fibers, although this copy does not contain the latter. The Songye people originate from the Shaba region of the Democratic Republic of Congo and settled amidst the savannah and forests between the Lualaba River and the Sankuru River. They are governed by the Yakitengé and local chiefs, but the Bwadi secret society acts as a counterweight to their power.