Punu mask black

Superb black mask, made of wood, which comes from the ethnic Punu of Gabon

Height: 30 cm, width: 22 cm

The black Punu masks

More rare than white masks, black Punu masks are coated with a brown or blackish vegetable pigment composed of crushed seeds mixed with palm oil.

The black Punu masks are called ikwara from the name of the dance that only occurred at dusk or night (unlike the dances of okuyi, only daytime) for particular rites related to unfortunate collective events: epidemic, crime, sorcery...

They were also assigned functions of justice since on the occasion of these dances they were supposed to allow their wearer to discover the sorcerers dismulated in the crowd of spectators. The ikwara dance was organized by "judges" for this purpose or on the occasion of some difficult talks.

The ikwara dancers were like those of okuyi perched on stilts but much shorter (barely a meter)