Punu - Gabon

Classic Tsangui mask, Punu, carved in Ceiba pentandra wood and with kaolin. These masks were worn by a dancer on stilts, waving raffia whips, who would stop in front of a citizen and shout: "I know your secret and if you don’t pay I’ll shout it to the world"; obviously almost everyone had some secret to hide and quickly offered a sack of millet or a chicken, etc. Today this tradition remains, and while it’s more of a festival than a ploy to unmask secrets, people still give money to the masked performers and everyone celebrates. Height: 28 cm.