Rare Luba Passport Family Mask Congo Africa

This Luba mask originates from in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Luba people live near the Songye tribe and are mostly engaged in farming. Their masks share a similar characteristic as that of the Songye tribe and are also known as the Kifwebe. They used the masks for dances, lunar ceremonies or plays as artists hold a special place in the Luba tribe. A passport mask was carried with the traveler to show the tribe that they belong to. They were not worn on the face but exhibited, they were sown on a piece of cloth, tied to the upper arm, or hung on a fence during meetings of the society in order to allow the arriving members to see who was already present. Mask measures 8 x 5.5 x 4.5 inches. From the Collection of Professor Gould (1922-2019, New York).

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