A black Punu mask, known as ‘ikwara’. In the south of Gabon, the Punu are renowned for their white masks called ‘okuyi’. These white masks depict a ‘beautiful girl’, who comes to the world of the living on a benevolent visit and by day are worn by dancers wearing stilts of up to 2 metres in height.
The black ‘ikwara masks’, also known as ‘ikwara mokulu’ (night masks) only appear at dusk or during the night. They only appear at special night-time gatherings, at rituals for the administration of justice or if the Punu society is threatened by ill-fortune, illness, epidemics, witchcraft or criminality. ‘Ikwara masks’ should offer protection and divert the evil. They are stylistically very similar to the white ‘Okuyi masks’, with the same, Asian-seeming, slit eyes (however they have nothing to do with the Japanese ‘No masks’). However they are coloured black with plant-dye and are used by dancers on shorter stilts of up to 1 metre in height.
The present, beautiful ‘ikwara mask’ bears a hairstyle with two crests and braids on both sides. It displays rectangular scarification marks on the high forehead, between accentuated eyebrow arches. The eyes are narrow slits and outlined. Linear scarification marks run from the outer corners of the eyes to both ears. The cheekbones are prominent and the slightly curved nose is small and delicate. The ‘voluptuous’ mouth displays the remains of a red colouring, as does the upper edge of the face and the ears. Lancet-shaped scarification marks develop from the corners of the mouth, with traces of white colour (kaolin). The mask has a good, old, partly shiny patina on the front and back (inside). There is minor age damage: lightweight colour abrasion and a small crack on the upper back rim. Height: 30 cm; width: 22 cm. First half of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance:
Austrian private collection.

Lit.:
'Punu' by Loius Perrois & Charlotte Grand-Dufay, ill. 22, 23, 47.