Helmet Mask with Small Figure

Origin: Yaka Tribe, D.R. Congo
Composition: wood, rattan, raffia cloth and fibers, feathers, pigment dyes, paint

The masquerades of the Yaka tribe occur in the context of the nkanda initiation rites for adolescent boys, to prepare them for their role as adult men and acquaint them with the values of their community. Especially towards the end of the initiation, various mask figures sequentially appear, which, depending on their type, are danced either by nkanda supervisor or by the initiates themselves. Their dances invoke the presence of the ancestors, and the accompanying songs attest to the young men's newly acquired social status.

The design elements of these headdresses and their color schemes reflect cosmological notions of the Yaka and underscore male-female relationships. The face below the small figure represents the owl, which is used to teach about connections between the human and animal worlds (Ref: Stepan, Spirits Speak).