Punu Maiden Spirit Mask Mukudji White Large Gabon African Art

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Title<br>Punu Maiden Spirit Mask Mukudji White Large Gabon African Art<br>Type of Object<br>Mask<br>Country of Origin<br>Gabon<br>People<br>Punu<br>Materials<br>Wood, pigment<br>Approximate Age<br>Mid 20th Century<br>Height (in)<br>15<br>Width (in)<br>11<br>Depth (in)<br>9<br>Overall Condition<br>Good. Most of our pieces have spent decades on at least two continents, and have been treasured by several owners.   Small splits, scrapes and cracks are a normal part of their patina attesting to their age and extensive use.  We examine each piece carefully when we receive it and report any damage we find in our listings.  Please look carefully at the pictures which may also reveal condition and damage.<br>Damage/Repair<br>Well worn patina, small split through upper back side<br>Additional Information:<br>This mask is used by various tribes in Gabon. This one comes from the Punu. Mmwo Spirit Maiden Mask portrays a beautiful maiden with her whitened face and serene expression. As in life this beautiful maiden wears an elaborate hairstyle shown through polychrome colors. The mask would be worn with a colorful costume covering her body. Although the mask has an Asian expression, no such connection has been established. known as duma or mvudi, it represents a female guardian spirit in the initiation of young girls, funerary rites, ancestor cults, and also in dances of the full moon. At the burial ceremonies of the Puno society, the mask represented a female ancestor. In the Mukui (Moukouj, Mukuji) society, the masked performer, sometimes on stilts, performed at the dance of the full moon. (See Segy's MASKS OF BLACK AFRICA.) The refined features and elaborate coiffure of the Puno masks mirror the appearance of tribal women. Social cohesion is ensured by a society known as Moukouji, whose primary role is to subjugate harmful forest spirits. The white pigments on masks allude to the anti-witchcraft powers of this group. The Puno make only masks of women, with elaborate hairstyles, features which appear somewhat Asian, and white kaolin pigments. They are worn by Moukouji initiates, who are often on stilts. They are thought to represent ancestor's faces.<br>Recommended Reading:<br>Kerchache's ART OF AFRICA<br>**136493**<br>All content, including pictures, Copyright Africa Direct Inc., 2021<br>Add Us To Your Favorite Sellers!<br>Please visit our About Us page.<br>Africa Direct, Inc. has been selling on eBay since 1997 and has received more than 56,000 positive feedbacks. It is owned by Eliza and Sara, who began the company after spending a year wandering southern Africa in a camper van with their multi-racial family. They have been honored with eBay's Hall of Fame award, and by eBay Giving Works, through which they have raised more than $125,000 in charity auctions.<br>Customer Service<br>: We treasure our many long term customers, and will try to make you one of them! If you have problems, please tell us... we care!<br>Handling Time<br>: We ship daily except Sundays and holidays. Most orders go out the same day, and all go out within 48 hours.<br>Returns<br>: We want you to be happy with your purchase. You're welcome to return an item within 30 days in the same condition you received it--just let us know you're returning it. You may have either a credit or a refund for your purchase price, not including shipping both ways. If your original payment was made through PayPal, we'll refund you through PayPal; if you paid us directly with your credit card, we'll refund the credit card.<br>Combining Shipping<br>: You are welcome to wait to pay, and to combine multiple items for shipping. We ask that you keep each order to 10 days or 10 items, whichever comes first--then start another order.<br>When you're ready, just send us a list of item numbers or an invoice request and we'll send you an invoice. You can pay by Paypal or credit card.<br>U.S. Shipping<br>: Our staff take great care in packing our artwork, much of which is antique, irregularly-shaped, and fragile. The cost of labor and the special packing materials used is reflected in our shipping price. Our U.S. shipping charges also include insurance; we self-insure on smaller orders. For these reasons, our shipping and handling charges may be more than the price of postage. .<br>International Shipping<