Bamum Kwifo Society Mask
Tribe: Bamum
Country: Cameroon
Material: Wood, coper sheeting
Size: 20" tall x 12" wide
Condition: Good. Two protruding knobs missing. See image.
Status: SOLD - Private Collection - Georgia, USA
The Bamum Kwifo society acts as a police force, carrying out punishments and executions at night (kwifo means night). As an agent of the king's administration, Kwifo also mediates significant conflicts and pronounces sentence in both civil and criminal cases.
Each Kwifo society has a mask that serves as the spokesman and representative. Known as mabu, thi smask presents the decrees of the society to the community. It ushers members of Kwifo through the village, alerting the people of the approach of the group, and compelling them to behave appropriately.
Masks like this usually perform in groups of eight to thirty, accompanied by an orchestra of drums, xylophone and rattles. When they make special appearances at the burial and commemorative death celebrations of a member of the group, they are viewed with awe and reverance.
Source: A History of Art in Africa ISBN0-13-183356-1 |
