Hand Carved Punu Okuyi Mask W/ Custom Stand 13 " - Gabon
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:39151 | Tribe: Punu |
| Provenance: Ownership History Not Available | Material: Wood |
Type of Object Mask Country of Origin Gabon Ethnicity Punu Materials Wood, Pigment, Kaolin Clay Approximate Age Unknown Height (Inches) 13” without stand14.5" with stand Width (Inches) 7.5” Depth (Inches) 3.5lbs without stand4.5” with stand Weight (Pounds) 1.5lbs without stand2lbs with stand Overall Condition Excellent. About the Punu People“The Punureside on the left bank of the Upper Ngoume River and belong to a group o...ftribes known as Shira which were originally part of the Luango kingdom ofAngola with the Eshira, the Lumbo, the Vili, the Galoa and the Vungu people, the Punu migrated northwards during the 18th century and settled where they arenow. They live in independent villages divided into clans and families andsocial cohesion is ensured by a society known as Moukouji, whose primary roleis to subjugate harmful forest spirits. During ceremonies related to thesociety, small statues and masks appear which are often covered in whitepigments alluding to their anti-witchcraft functions.Punu masksare thought to represent ancestors’ faces. They are worn during funerals and bya Moukouji initiate who stands on stilts. The masks have realistic, usuallywhite, faces with protruding eyes incised with a curve, high-domed foreheadsand characteristic rigid high coiffures which reflects the Punu women’shairstyles.”Source:Baquart, Jean-Baptiste. The Tribal Arts of Africa. New York: Thames and Hudson Inc.1998. Print.Dave Dahl –CEO Discover African Art Keywords: Punu, Gabon, Galoa, Lumbo, Mitsogho, Vuvi, Ambete, Mask, Okuyi, Upper Ngoume River, tribalID# 1000658
