Mask (Mwana pwo)

early 19th century

Chokwe, African

On View

African: Masquerades, Level 1, North Wing

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About the Artwork

The Chokwe of Angola use a beautiful mask called Mwana pwo in their initiation ceremonies known as mukanda. Although they are exclusively worn by men, Mwana pwo masks represent female ancestors and emphasize the features that are most admired in young women. The masks are worn with a tightly knit body suit, which includes false breasts and a bustlelike fringe worn over the hips. The dance mimics the graceful gestures of women and transmits fertility to the male spectators.

Title Mask (Mwana pwo)

Artwork Date early 19th century

Artist ----------

Life Dates ----------

Nationality Please note: Definitions for nationality may vary significantly, depending on chronology and world events. Some definitions include: Belonging to a people having a common origin based on a geography and/or descent and/or tradition and/or culture and/or religion and/or language, or sharing membership in a legally defined nation. African

Culture Please note: Cultures may be defined by the language, customs, religious beliefs, social norms, and material traits of a group. Chokwe

Medium Carved wood with hemp

Dimensions Overall: 8 3/4 × 8 1/2 × 7 5/8 inches (22.2 × 21.6 × 19.4 cm) Including base (mount): 13 × 5 1/2 × 5 1/2 inches (33 × 14 × 14 cm)

Classification Sculpture

Department African Art

Credit Bequest of W. Hawkins Ferry

Accession Number This unique number is assigned to an individual artwork as part of the cataloguing process at the time of entry into the permanent collection. Most frequently, accession numbers begin with the year in which the artwork entered the museum’s holdings. For example, 2008.3 refers to the year of acquisition and notes that it was the 3rd of that year. The DIA has a few additional systems—no longer assigned—that identify specific donors or museum patronage groups. 1988.193

Markings

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Provenance

W. Hawkins Ferry (Detroit, Michigan, USA);
1989-present, bequest to the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA)

For more information on provenance, please visit:

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Exhibition History

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The exhibition history of a number of objects in our collection only begins after their acquisition by the museum, and may reflect an incomplete record.

We welcome your feedback for correction and/or improvement.

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