Four Pieces of African Tribal Art, 20th c., Figure- H.- 22 1/4 in., W.- 3 1/4 in., D.- 3 1/4 in.;

Four Pieces of African Tribal Art, 20th c., in order of photo: the standing figure made from grey ebony wood, carved and imported from The Congo and beaded in Gauteng, South Africa, depicting the tall women from the Masai tribe in Kenya; Mbuyu Tribal Mask from the Pende Tribe of Democratic Republic of the Congo, carved light wood, raffia, woven raffia headdress, earth ochres of camwood, kaolin and black mud mordant, 1985; Yaka nkanda Initiation mask, from the Bandundu Provence, Democratic Republic of the Congo, wood, raffia fiber, organic pigments, c.1991; Kuba tribe shoulder ring, paang angup, from Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kasai Occidentale Province, raffia, cotton, cowrie shells, feathers, glass beads, c. 1986; each presented on custom stands, Figure- H.- 22 1/4 in., W.- 3 1/4 in., D.- 3 1/4 in.; Mbuyu Mask on Stand- H.- 13 1/2 in., W.- 8 1/2 in., D.- 10 1/2 in. (4 Pcs.) Provenance: Purchased from Davis Gallery, New Orleans in the 1980s and 1990s; Property from 1234 Henry Clay Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana. Other Notes: The Beaded Lady (Congo/South Africa) - The Gauteng Organization was formed to assist Africans of different tribes to provide work for them and at the same time to prove to the Africans themselves that persons of different tribes could work and live in harmony. The Mbuyu Mask was worn by a young initiate of the Pende tribe who has graduated from a bush school where he has lived for a year away from his village to learn the religious, political, and social mores of his tribe. The culmination of event is a physical and ritual circumcision where he passes into manhood. This mask appeared at dance performances where life situations were presented and the identity of the dancer is known by the mask and music that accompanies him. Collected in the Bandundu Region of Zaire, August 1985. The rituals and social activities that confer social manhood on uncircumcised boys are known as nkanda among the Yaka. Nkanda is initiated by village elders when boys between the ages of ten and fifteen are taken from the village to a special circumcision camp which is located in the bush away from the village. Activities in the camp serve to educate male adolescents about their clan's historical origins, its myths, the reason for its rules, and about personal matters such as acceptable comportment, sexual relations, and marriage. Teaching is done through direct instruction, dance, performances, and active hunting. The usual term is 8 months to one year. Most Yaka masks are associated with nkanda. They are intended to protect the initiates from harm during the transition to manhood, ensure fertility, and maintain fear and respect for the institution of nkanda. Some masks are danced at the coming-out ceremony for the new initiates, while others, such as this example, are placed on posts at the nkanda camp to ward off the uninitiated, especially women, and to protect the initiates from witches. Collected in situ, October 1991. The Kuba are a cluster of tribal groups who form a kingdom in the forests of central Zaire. The king of the Kuba must be of the Bushoong group which has been the ruling people since the early 1600s. The paang angup was collected among the Bushoong royalty who wear beautiful woven raffia skirts and jewelry according to a complex social and religious calendar. The cowrie shells is considered a symbol of wealth and feritility and was used liberally by the Kuba as well as glass beads. The down and feathers of certain birds were also reserved for royal use. Paang angup literally means "hippopotamus teeth" for those rings, worn on the shoulder, were long-ago made of hippopotamus teeth. These rings are worn by the king and members of the immediate royal family along with two particular white costumers. Collected in situ, 1986.

Condition
Condition is not stated in the description of the item. The absence of a condition report does not mean that the item is free of damage or condition issues. Some items do show signs of age or wear. CCAG strongly suggests that you do not bid without requesting a condition report. Requests for condition reports will not be honored after 5 p.m. CST on the Tuesday prior to the auction.