Title: Punu mask of Okuyi dance - Gabon - African Art Tribal ArtProvenance/Additional Info: This African Punu Okuyi mask features a shell formed by braided and shaped hair. These hairstyles come in different forms and illustrate women's fashion during the 19th century in Gabon. This sculpture corresponds to the canons of Punu art with its frontal scarifications in diamond and checkerboard, mabinda. A collar also surrounds the entire face. The abraded white patina corresponds to the color of mourning, which establishes a link with the world of spirits and ancestors. These masks were associated with the various secret societies of Gabon, including the Bwiti, Bwete, and Mwiri, the latter of which was spread out in several levels of initiation, to which all Punu men belonged, and whose emblem was the caiman. The punu did not involve any masks in the rituals of the Bwiti, unlike the Tsogo. These powerful secret societies, which also had a judicial function, included several dances, including the leopard dance, the Esomba, the Mukuyi, and the Okuyi dance, on stilts, remaining the most widespread. This kaolin-bleached face mask, reminiscent of a deceased woman, was displayed during the dance called Okuyi.Item Category: MaskDate/Period: Mid 20th centuryOrigin: GabonMaterials: WoodHeight:12,20 InchWeight: 1,21 PoundsStand not included. Please note that this time there is only a starting price to respect. No reserve price needed. Well, try this way see if this revitalize the sale ! This way, if someone bid on an item heÂ’ll be able to win it. For the direct sale that take place after the auction, the buying price will be the starting price.
Reserve: $170.00
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