Among the mask types of the Salampasu, in the South of the Congo, the ‘kasungu masks’ have a special meaning: they may only been worn by warriors who have murdered an enemy in war. The present ‘kasangu mask’ represents the ‘classical style’ of this rare mask type: it has been carved from hard wood and coloured in black and white (in parts). The forehead is balloon-like and bulges forwards. The lower half of the face is slightly concave and offset. It leads down to a pointed chin. Rectangular eyes lie under the forehead next to the short, wide nose. The trapeze-like, open mouth, with its pointed rows of teeth, lies on a triangular surface. It was originally coloured in white. Above, the mask is finished with a band filled with zigzag lines. A hairstyle made from small circles of plaited rattan strips was originally attached to the mask through the holes above. A ‘beard’ made from a thick string of plaited plant fibres and another rattan sphere was attached through the hole on the chin. A net of fibres was attached to the holes on both sides of the temples and around the small ears. The masked dancer would pull this over his head and fasten the mask in front of his face. Overall it is a perfect example of a ‘kasungu mask’ of the Salampasu people. It is slightly chipped on the chin and around the edges. Moreover it has a magnificent, shiny patina as a result of protracted use (also on the inside). Height: 28 cm; first half of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance:
Austrian Private Collection.

Lit.:
'Het Gelaat van de Geesten. Maskers uit het Zairebekken' by Frank Herreman & Constantijn Petridis, ill. 51; 'Encyclopedia of African Art and Culture' by K.-F. Schädler, ill. p. 527.