Bidspirit auction | Male Kifwebe Mask, Songe, Zaire

Male Kifwebe Mask, Songe, Zaire - African Tribal Art: Songe People, Zaire: Male Kifwebe Mask, 19th/20th Century. Carved wood and pigments. The mask comes with a custom-made steel and wood display stand. Kifwebe masks represent spirits and are characterized by striations. The masks embodied supernatural forces. The Kifwebe society used them to ward off disaster or any threat. Supplemented by a woven costume and a long raffia beard, they dance at various ceremonies. The masks and costumes are worn by men who act as police at the behest of a ruler, or to intimidate enemies.