250344 - Old African Suku Yaka mask with raffia - Congo.
Old African Suku Yaka mask from Congo
Dimensions: 55 cm high.
Very nice Yaka Suku mask carved from wood with Raffia hair.
From a Belgian private collection.
Mr. Tabala is a passionate collector of African art who collected these objects between 1983 and the nineties. He traveled to many regions of Congo and Tanzania.
This mask is dated second half of the 20th century and comes with a certificate of authenticity.
This extraordinary mask was used by Yaka and Suku peoples of south-western Congo in the end of the first half of the 20th century. Both cultures share an institution called mukanda, which is concerned with the circumcision and initiation of young men. Kakungu, the 'red giant', played an important role during this male initiation. The Yaka and Suku consider kakungu as their oldest and most powerful mask.