A whimsical Western Pende mbuya mask representing deformity. This masks bears a striking resemblance to Mbangu masks, from which it is notably distinguished by its absence of black-and-white pigmentation. For a similar example, see Beaulieux (2000: 246).

Mbuya masks have been most noted for their role in the visually striking masked dance performances that attended the reintroduction of newly-circumcised males into their communities, but they also figured in other observances, and some types held specific associations with such tasks as remedying illness, the sowing of the seeds, and hunting. A number of mbuya masks began to disappear as early as the first decades of the 20th century, no doubt effacing the full diversity of types that once prevailed in Pendeland and thereby severely constraining the possibilities of comprehensive historical analysis. Mbuya masks are either anthropomorphic or zoomorphic, with the former class broadly comprising three distinct types, viz., masks bearing deformities, masks with elongated extensions of the chin, and those evincing an undeniable naturalism. As with many masks in Africa, the masks themselves were but a part of a much wider performative ensemble and were danced according to very specific prescriptions (Biebuyck 1985 [Vol 1.]: 227ff).

REFERENCES

Beaulieux, Dick. Belgium Collects African Art. Brussel: Arts & Applications, 2000. 

Biebuyck, Daniel P. The Arts of Zaire. 2 vols. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1985.