Chockwe Chihongo Mask with Headdress, African Start Price USD 390.00 Current Price USD 390.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Thursday, July 17, 2008 End Time Thursday, July 24, 2008 Location Denver, CO See more about 'Chockwe Chihongo Mask with Headdress, African' Description Chokwe Cihongo Mask with Headdress, Angola, DR Congo, AfricanType of Object: Mask Ethnic Group: Chokwe Country of Origin: Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo Materials: Wood, pigment, vegetal fibresApproximate Age: 20th century Dimensions: 13 inchesOverall Condition: Good Damage, Repair: Loose string, hole around the mouth left sideAdditional Information: This is a small wooden anthropomorphic type mask complimented with a netting headdress made of braided vegetal fibers. This mask comes from the Chokwe. This mask is characterized by an oval face with a stylized semi-circular chin. The face features deep lobes with coffee bean eyes, finial cruciform scarification on the forehead, a large stylized mouth with pointed teeth. The surface is covered with a dark brown patina. All these traits identify this piece with the Cihongo (or Chihongo) type of Chokwe mask. The Chokwe of northern Angola, southern of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and parts of Zambia fashion a splendid array of art objects which are well-known to collectors. There are several main categories of masks which have been identified, and styles can vary a bit depending on the location of clans. The Chokwe are skilled carvers, and statues, stools and utilitarian objects also can be of great beauty. Mask-types include the "pwo," the most famous, which portrays an idealized feminine beauty; the "cikongo," and the "cikunza", which are the rarest and most sacred, made almost entirely of plant fibers and bark; and the "cihongo," a mask with typical Chokwe features, but with an odd disc-shaped "chin" below the mouth. Cihongo mask could only be worn by the chief or his son. It was seen as a symbol of wealth and power and used during the initiation and circumcision rites of young boys (Mukanda). This type of mask was worn over the face, and sometimes worn on top of the head, with the dancer looking out through netting below the mask.  For a similar example of "cihongo" see "Black Africa", by Laurie Meyer, plate 77.See many other examples in Jordan, and al. CHOKWE !I have examined this piece and agree with the descriptionNiangi Batulukisi, Ph.D. **039658** All content, including pictures, Copyright Africa Direct Inc., 2006 Add Us To Your Favorite Sellers! Please visit our About Us page. SquareTrade © AP6.0 PesaMember Place a Bid!