Region: Gabon
Tribe: Punu
Age: New

The Punu worship their ancestors and spirits. Their masks appear in initiation ceremonies. The masks are used during judicial events pertaining to arbitration. Punu masks are worn by costumed dancers on stilts. The masks are said to represent the spirits of beautiful young women. The masks have elaborate coiffures and whitened faces. The white pigment is an anti-witchcraft technique as white refers to light and clarity. Punu clairvoyants ring their eyes with white clay (kaolin) as a strategy for detecting witchcraft. This mask is made from wood and paint.

Dimensions: 30x23x16cm