Pwo Mask with Red Pigment

Origin: Chokwe Tribe, Angola
Composition: wood, pigments
Age: Early 20th Century

This mask, known as pwo, represents the ideal of womanhood and female beauty, and is used to bestow fertility. She is the counterpart to another famous Chokwe mask, known as Chihongo, which brings prosperity. As an ancestor, pwo is envisioned as an elderly woman, but recently, pwo has become known as mwana pwo, a young woman. She is danced as part of a costume that usually includes a raffia hairstyle and wooden breasts, and she is danced in ways that imitate the graceful movements of a woman (Visona, "A History of Art In Africa").

For innumerable reasons, the pwo mask is one of our favorites of all African masks. This pwo mask features some of the classic elements of body modification practiced by the Chokwe. Here, the elaborate facial scarification and a version of the Portuguese Cross (at one time believed to give protection to the Chokwe and other indigenous Angolan cultures who came into contact with the Portuguese) have the impression that they were burned or branded onto the mask, which is otherwise covered with a thick pigment stain. The mask also illustrates the fascinating (and incredibly painful) practice of the sharpening of teeth—an important historical practice for the Chokwe that depicts feminine beauty.

There is something inherently soft and expressive conveyed by this piece. Through years of handling, the wood has a slightly polished feel, but doesn't reflect the shine of a heavily oiled or finely sanded piece. We have not seen a Chokwe mask with this color before (outside of a museum or published work), which adds considerably to its collectibility and uniqueness.

Please contact us to inquire about this piece at (415) 362-6601 or info@sujaro.com.