Pwo Mask / Artist Unknown, African, Chokwe Peoples Angola
About this Item
Record Details
- Accession Number
- 2005/1.201
- Title
- Pwo Mask
- Artist Nationality
- Angolan
- Medium and Support
- wood, tukula powder, clay, string, metal, fur, snakeskin, cloth
- Object Creation Date
- circa 1890
- Object Creation Place
- Africa (continent)
- Angola (nation)
- Creation Place 1
- Africa (continent)
- Creation Place 2
- Angola (nation)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Candis and Helmut Stern
- Dimensions
- 30.1 cm x 28.6 cm x 17 cm (11 7/8 in. x 11 1/4 in. x 6 11/16 in.)
- Century
- 19th century
- Primary Object Classification
- Costume and Costume Accessory
- Primary Object Type
- mask
- Secondary Object Classification
- Sculpture
- Physical Description
- A naturalistic rendering of a human face. Eyes carved in relief are convex and almond-shaped with narrow slits and are placed in round, concave eye sockets. Nose is slender at the bridge and rounded at the tip. The horizontal mouth is partially opened. Half rounded ears display metal loops. The "hair" is attached with a cloth headband high on forehead and is made from clay and red tukula powder. The face shows striated, scarifcation patters underneath and to the sides of the eyes; the forehead shows is a chingelyengelye cross motif. The patina is smooth and redish brown in color.
- Subject Matter
- This mask represents pwo, the beautiful and poised female ancestor honored in the makishi masquerades performed by the Chokwe and neighboring peoples in Zambia, Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Pwo is the most popular of all makishi, or masked characters that embody spirits. Though danced on other occasions, pwo is most closely associated with the boys’ mukanda initiation. Among the female persona portrayed in the makishi repertoire, the pwo (ancestor) and mwana pwo (young woman) characters represent the ideals of “fulfilled” and “potential” womanhood. Masks are completed by full-body costumes made from woven fiber or cotton and a wraparound skirt made from imported fabrics.
- Secondary Keywords
- aesthetic concepts
- associated concepts
- costume
- costume by function
- events
- masks (costume)
- objects we use
- people
- people (agents)
- people and culture
- people by family relationship
- philosophical concepts
- Rights
- If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/about/services/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Technical Details
- Collection
- University of Michigan Museum of Art
- Record
- 2005/1.201
- Link to this Item
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-2005-sl-1.201/2005_1_201.jpg
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Cite this Item
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- Full citation
-
"Pwo Mask; Artist Unknown, African, Chokwe Peoples Angola." In the digital collection University of Michigan Museum of Art. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-2005-sl-1.201/2005_1_201.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 11, 2025.
