The three masks in this exhibit have the identifying features of both the lukwakongo masks and the idimu masks of the Lega culture Bwami society. The long, slender noses and the scarification are typical, as are the small mouths with protruding lips, which represent a dissatisfied teacher’s pursed lips. The incised vertical scarification lines in the lips are also typical, and … [Read more...] about Bwami Society Lukwakongo and Idimu Masks: Researched by Whitney Mosley
Since the 20th century, the Kamba cultures of Kenya have developed a thriving tourist-trade business in hand-carving wooden figures of native African animals. While originally these figures were carved and finished by a single artisan, today these carvings are produced in workshops using an assembly-line style of mass production: The main artisan will carve a basic figure, … [Read more...] about Kamba Culture Wooden Rhinoceros Figure: Researched, Conserved, and Repaired by McKenzie Wixon
The Dzonokwa Spirit Mask portrays a character Kwakiutl mythology that is known as “the wild woman of the woods,” a spirit that is believed to bring great power to chiefs. These masks are identifiable by several features, the most distinctive being its large, puckered lips; the Kwakiutl believe that the mouth is a link to one’s soul, and this spirit is believed to … [Read more...] about Native Masks and Headdresses of the Americas by Rylee Williams