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Ngbaka Congolese Tribal Mask for Initiation Rituals, Early 20th Century

About the Item

With a beautiful dark patina, this early 20th century wooden mask shows a naturalistic human face, flattened, with the forehead, open mouth and stylised teeth in light relief; the ridged, elongated nose and the diagonal ridges on the forehead are characteristic of these ‘Dagara’ masks, corresponding to the facial scarification patterns in use by members of the tribe. Traditionally theses wooden mask were used in the series of initiation rituals of the Ngbaka people of present-day Democratic Republic of Congo. Known as ‘Gaza’, meaning ‘that which gives strength’, these ceremonies followed a period of seclusion for the young men involved, assisted by former initiates, or ‘bugaza’, as they prepared for adult life. Dimmensions: H 32cm, D 10cm, W 22cmHeight on stand 48cm.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 12.6 in (32 cm)Width: 8.67 in (22 cm)Depth: 3.94 in (10 cm)
  • Style:
    Tribal (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
    Wood
  • Place of Origin:
    Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  • Period:
    Early 20th Century
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1920s
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses.
  • Seller Location:
    London, GB
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU2102333810582
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