Description

This is a Moshambwooy mask, one of the most significant masks of the Kuba people, an indigenous group from the Democratic Republic of Congo. In Kuba culture, the Moshambwooy mask embodies Woot, often regarded as the "first ancestor," akin to Adam in symbolism. Legend holds that Woot and his brother competed for the affection of their sister, Ngaady aMwaash, who ultimately wed Woot. Adorned with a prominent horn resembling a bent elephant tusk, the mask is aptly dubbed the Elephant mask. Its embellishments include cowrie shells, beads, wooden ears and nose, cowrie shell eyes, beaded eyebrows, and a grand raffia ruff, with the face veiled in raffia. This mask is exclusively worn by Kuba individuals of royal lineage, only men with such ancestry are permitted to wear this mask. This mask is a part of the museum's Susan Bassion Collection.