The Lualwa live on the border between Congo and Angola. Their ‘Nkaki’ masks are renowned for the ‘Greek’ profile of their noses. ‘Nkaki’ masks belong to the ‘Bangongo’ secret society of the Lualwa men. They dance with such masks in order to appease evil spirits, for lucky hunts, at initiations and during the funerals of high-ranking personalities. Yet ‘Nkaki masks’ dance only at night – in order to avoid frightening the women!
The present, large ‘Nkaki mask’ demonstrates the ‘classic’ type, carved from heavy wood and coloured black and brown on the outside. The mask is surmounted by a helmet-like hairstyle with white coloured serrated lines and a noticeable middle ridge. This middle ridge continues on the forehead, becoming a wide, typically ‘Greek’ Lualwa nose. The face is characterised by a concave shape, the wide slit eyes are white rimmed. The protruding mouth with pouting lips and the pointed, pierced chin, to which a ‘beard’ made of fibres was originally attached, are both in keeping with the canon of Lualwa masks.
A beautiful, characteristic piece, with old shiny patina on the front and good usage patina on the back (on the inside!). With minor, negligible damage (the upper lip is restored, an old tear to the back rim in the upper section and a smaller, old loss to the lower rim at the back).
First half of the 20th century; H: 38 cm. (ME)

Provenance: Belgian Private Collection.

Lit.: 'Encyclopedia of African Art and Culture' by K.-F. Schädler, fig. p. 385, 386.