Superb mask - tchokwe - Angola (No Reserve Price)

Main Mwana Pwo Mask - Chokwe / Tschokwe - Angola
The 'pwo' mask (female) or 'mwana pwo' (young woman) symbolizes the female ancestor and appears in dances conducive to fertility.

Driven by a man who mimics women's dance and teaches them the grace of manners.

The 'Pwo' mask of the female ancestor is still worn by men, transforming them into powerful beings.

Their exhibition before the village assembly has a magical character: they bring prosperity and fertility. However, when controlled by sorcerers, they can become evil 'wanga'.

Acquiring a mask is a kind of mystical marriage. The dancer gives the sculptor a copper ring, a symbolic price of the 'fiancee'.
This marriage imposes moral and ritual obligations; violating them invokes the wrath of the ancestor's spirit and punishments attributed to its magic.

After the dancer's death, the mask is often buried due to superstitious fear. It is buried in a remote, marshy place. A bracelet symbolizing the return of the 'dot' is placed near the mask.
The dancer buries a mask that can no longer be used in the same way.

The exhibition of the female mask 'Pwo' bestows fertility upon the spectators.
He sometimes dances with a statuette representing a child carried on his mother's back. The dancer dressed as a woman wears fake breasts, a cotton skirt, and a heavy beaded belt shaped like a crescent. He holds a rattle and a fly swatter. The dance involves movements of the back, punctuated by the belt's bouncing. By studying the serious demeanor and elegant gestures of 'Pwo,' women would learn the grace of manners.

The mask must be sculpted according to standards and reflect the collective idea of ancestral spirits. However, some masks are individualized; the sculptor then takes certain liberties with proportions and facial features (such as the shape of the nose, mouth, or ears). The artist draws inspiration from the physiognomy of a woman admired for her beauty.

Since he must work away from female eyes, he observes his model for a long time, often over many days, until he memorizes her features. The woman's tattoos and hairstyle also inspire the sculptor. 'Cihongo' and 'Pwo' often appear together as protectors on chair backs. Most often, the 'Pwo' mask is symbolized by an engraved macaron or a bas-relief on sticks, combs, and sanza.