Lwena Angola Mask Congo

We are told the mask is from the Lwena people, although it displays motifs consistent with Kumo and Lega traditions. Isolated groups of Lwena have historically settled alongside and mingled with, villages in the southern DRC, so it is not too surprising to see one of their African masks display sparse Congo minimalism more aligned to the Lega and Lele than the artistically formal Angolan groups, like the Chokwe. This attribution is by no means a given, but the charm and surprising power of this African mask is undeniable. It is a fascinating example of the profound and far-reaching influence of masking traditions from the southern Congo.

The Lwena people, neighbors of the well-known Chokwe people, share much with the Chokwe in the forms of their art and culture, however, Lwena art is less varied consisting primarily of masks and female figures. For example, the complex facial markings combine Chokwe patterns with added Lwena variations.

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