Helmet Mask (Mukenga)
Kuba
1875–1950
- Medium
- Wood, glass beads, cowrie shells, feathers, raffia, fur, fabric, thread, monkey hair, and bells
- Dimensions
- 57.5 × 24.1 × 20.3 cm (22 5/8 × 9 1/2 × 8 in.); deck mount/post: 94.7 × 45.8 × 73.7 cm (37 1/4 × 18 × 29 in.)
- Genre
- masks
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago
Tags
Furfeatherworkstring (fiber product)compositekingshipCentral Africabeading (process)ceremonial maskplant materialanimalscowrie shellfibercord (fiber product)masksroyaltyperformancestatuskuba (democratic republic of congo stylewood (plant material)composite materialplant fiberafrican Artarts of Africafeathercarvingclothraffiaadhesionceremonial objectwealthglass beadsmetal
About
The mukenga mask is worn along with a richly layered costume of raffia and beaded ornaments at funerals of titleholders in the northern part of the Kuba Kingdom. Its form and materials comprise elements associated with status and leadership, including cowrie shells, leopard fur, monkey hair, glass beads, and red tail feathers of the African gray parrot. A prominent trunk and two tusks refer to the elephant, the supreme symbol of wealth and leadership among the Kuba.
