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.
Mask (Mwana pwo)
early 19th century
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African
Chokwe
Carved wood with hemp
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)
Sculpture
African Art
Bequest of W. Hawkins Ferry
1988.193
Public Domain
Markings
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Provenance
W. Hawkins Ferry (Detroit, Michigan, USA);1989-present, bequest to the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA)
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Provenance pageExhibition 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.
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Suggest FeedbackPublished References
Kan, Michael, African Masterworks In The Detroit Institute of Arts. Washington, 1995, cat. no. 67.
Bulletin of the DIA 65, no. 2/3 (1989): p. 30 (fig. 23).
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Credit Line for Reproduction
Chokwe, African, Mask (Mwana pwo), early 19th century, carved wood with hemp. Detroit Institute of Arts, Bequest of W. Hawkins Ferry, 1988.193.
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