241153 - Rare African mask from the Yela or Mbole - Congo.

Rare African mask from the Yela or Mbole - Congo.
Hand carved from a single piece of wood.
Height: 25 cm.
This Yela mask, dated from the second half of the 20th century and comes with a certificate of autenticity.

The Yela and their neighbours the Mbole live in the central-eastern equatorial forest. Their socio-cultural life is dominated by the secret Lilwa community, which is of a judicial nature. The mask is worn by the "Kumi", the one who speaks and passes judgement, but was also used during male initiation ceremonies into the Lilwa society to obtain discipline and secrecy from the new initiates. The masks of the Yela and Mbole show stylised faces, diagonal stripes under the eyes. These were used by prominent members of the Lilwa community during ceremonies that symbolised judgement and emphasised moral behaviour.

These highly stylised traditional masks intervened in initiation rituals of which little is known because they took place outside the village, in secret. The Yela are a people whose rituals have remained quite mysterious to us. They are culturally close to the Mbole, who are somewhat better known, with whom they share the cult of Lilwa.

This almost flat African mask stands out for its naive appearance. Of Mbole or Yela origin, two close African ethnic groups in the DR Congo, there are oblique streaks under the eyes. These highly stylized traditional masks intervened during initiation rituals of which little is known because they took place away from the village, in secrecy.