Vuvi mask.
Gabon
Carved Wood , plant fibers.
8” x 4” x 9” tall
The Vuvi live in central Gabon. Vuvi bwiti association’s masks are characterized by the relative flatness of their design and the emblematic nature of the facial features and markings. These masks serve as agents through whom ancestral spirits reappear during funeral ceremonies and solemn communal gatherings. The ovoid face has strongly arched eyebrows often extending from the bridge of the nose to the edge of the mask. The eyebrows may demarcate a heart-shaped area with narrow eye slits and a slightly open, thin-lipped mouth. Each mask apparently had a special name related to the spirit it embodied. During nocturnal performances announced by drum music, the leader of the rite would intone a specific song that reminded the onlookers of the individual traits of the spirit represented by the masqueraders.
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