A «Txihongo» mask

A «Txihongo» mask
wood, fibers, metal, resins and pigments
has a religious medal on its right ear, a mask representing the male ancestor, used by professional dancers in various types of ceremonies.
Angolan - Luando region (North of Cuemba)
20th C. (1st half)
minor faults and defects, traces of wood insects
possibly from the Luando region, Cuemba municipality, Bié province
Dimensões (altura x comprimento x largura) - 21 cm
Notes: Provenance: Collection of Engineer Elísio Romariz dos Santos Silva, item number 47, mentioned in the notebook of the collector «Angola - Arte Negra, Relação e descrição das peças», identified therein as «Máscara Txihongo»: "It represents the male ancestor and, so to speak, is in opposition to Muana Pwó. This masked man's choreography is characterized by a series of hip movements that demonstrate hardness and firmness; all of it is masculinity. He is a professional dancer who goes through the villages dancing and receives money and gifts for his performance, just like Muana Pwó. The main characteristic of this type of mask is the protrusion in the chin area, which symbolizes the beard, a male attribute. The face, which is very expressive, has a prominent, pointed forehead. [...] Decoration: on the forehead: a yellow stud under a «Mupila» tattoo. Other tattoos: under the eyes - «Masoji»; on the chin: «Mipila»; on each face a semicircle ("Kakweji" = Moon). In its right ear, it has an earring (religious medal - Our Lady of Fátima and Sacred heart of Jesus) suspended by a wire; the left earlobe has two holes. Gift from Padre Gabriel [...] of the Mission of the Benedictines of Cuemba, in 1966. It had been obtained by Padre Gabriel in the Luando region (North of Cuemba) in 1959 [...]". Cf. bibliography referred to by the collector - LIMA, Mesquitela de - "Os Akixi (Mascarados) do Nordeste de Angola". In "Diamag - Publicações Culturais nº 70". Lisboa: Companhia de Diamantes de Angola - Serviços Culturais Dundo - Lunda - Angola - Museu do Dundo, 1967, pp. 166 and (possibly) 160.
For the same type of mask vd. BASTIN, Marie-Louise. "La sculpture Tshokwe”. Arcueil: Alain et Françoise Chaffin, 1982, pp. 12 and 95-98, nºs 34-37 (as "Masque Cihongo"); and LIMA, Mesquitela de - "Os Akixi (Mascarados) do Nordeste de Angola". In "Diamag - Publicações Culturais nº 70". Lisboa: Companhia de Diamantes de Angola - Serviços Culturais Dundo - Lunda - Angola - Museu do Dundo, 1967, p. 67, nºs 28-30.