SONGYE, CONGO
WOOD, PIGMENT, HEIGHT 32CM

These masks were worn by dancers totally covered with straw. Male masks have a central crest while female masks have a plain rounded finish. These Songye masks are known as KIFWEBE all over the world, but kifwebe is actually just the word for “mask” in the Songye language. This male mask is made out of soft wood while the female mask next to it is from hard wood. Sculptors just used what material was available to them, and a master piece can be created out of  any material.