The Salampasu, in south-western Congo, had a warrior group, the ‘ibuku society’. In the context of this ‘ibuku society’ dances took place, and the basic members wore such powerful ‘kasungu masks’ (of wood, without copper coating).
The present ‘kasungu mask’ is carved from hard brown wood and dyed black on the front side. It wears the typical hairstyle with round woven balls of palm leaf strips, a widely protruding forehead with a cross-shaped inlay of black tree resin and glued red jequirity beans (‘Paternoster peas’), deep-set almond-shaped slit eyes (also decorated with a row of red jequirity beans each), small, round ears and a short, broad nose. Beneath is a small, rectangular, open mouth with two pointed rows of teeth. The pointed chin features two holes, into which a woven ‘beard’ of fibres was originally tied. On the reverse a net of twisted fibre cords is attached, by means of which the dancer could affix the mask to his head. A stylistically perfect piece with only minimal damage (the ‘beard’ and some jequirity beans are missing due to age). Good, old, shiny usage patina at front and back, inside.
Height: 32 cm; width: c. 24 cm. First half of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance: Private Collection of Prof. Dr. Rudolf Leopold, Vienna.

Lit.: ‘100 peoples of Zaire and their sculpture’ by Marc. L. Felix, p. 153, ill. 14, 15; ‘Encyclopedia of African Art and Culture’ by K.-F. Schädler, ill. p. 527.