Songye mask - kifwebe - DR Congo (No reserve price)

This replica of a mask of powerful beauty is known by the name kwifibe to the Songye people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Distinguished by its black and white stripes, the mask is believed to embody supernatural forces that ward off evil. For the Songye, the use of white on the mask symbolizes positive concepts such as purity and peace, the moon and light. The Ghanaian Christopher Nyasafo hand-sculpts this wall mask depicting a bird looking downward.