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Early African Mwana Pwo Chokwe Wood Mask

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:25.00 USD Estimated At:200.00 - 800.00 USD
Early African Mwana Pwo Chokwe Wood Mask
This lot features a Mwana Pwo/Pwevo Chokwe wooden mask. The Chokwe people are regionally known for their crafts. Many of their pieces, like this mask, integrates Chokwe mythologies, oral history and spiritual beliefs. This mask represents the "ideal woman." She is either conceived as a "fulfilled" woman, called Pwevo (or, in some Chokwe-related areas, Pwo), or a younger, "potential" woman called Mwana Pwevo (or, in other areas, Mwana Pwo). In a mukanda-icelated public performance, women escort the female ancestor Pwevo to the center of the village, where she is received ceremonially by the head of the village. The mask would be worn during this ceremony. It is from the 19th century. The original mask shows nice clean and deep carving. It is in good condition.