Kwele Mask - NOA Living

DOUBLE Mask
Kwele PEOPLE
M KW0003
deScription
The Kwele traditionally have been a politically
unorganized people who moved into the area
between the Dja and Ivindo Rivers in the
early nineteenth century. Kwele communities
tended to fragment in the face of inter lineage
r i va l r i e s , a n d v i l l a g e e l d e r s co u n te re d t h i s
t re n d by d i ve rt i n g a n ta g o n i s m s t h ro ugh the
r i t e s o f t h e c u l t o f b e e t e . Va r i o u s m a g i ca l
materials, especially the flesh and intestinal
co n ten t s of a n tel o p e , we re co m b i ned i nto a
stew, which was consumed by the entire village.
Th e ef f i ca c y of t h e m a g i ca l s tew dep end ed
on the receptiveness of the villagers. To unite
t h e co m m u n i t y i n h a rm o n i o u s i n te ra cti on, a
l e a d er, i n t h e fo rm of a m a s k b e i n g kuk (p l .,
e k u k) em e rg ed f ro m t h e fo res t a n d d a nced
in the village, wearing seed shell anklets. The
kuk was followed first by singers and dancers
who had escorted it from the forest, and then
by a l i n e of a l l t h e vi l l a g e rs . A s e ri e s of ekuk
a p p e a re d i n s u cce s s i o n d u r i n g t h e p e r i o d
that the beete medicine was being gathered
a n d p rep a red . At t h e s a m e t i m e young men
we re i n i t i a ted i n to t h e b eete c u l t.
D E TA I L S
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C u l t u re : Kwel e Peo p l e
G e o g ra p hy: G a b o n
C i rca : 19 t h -2 0 t h C e n t u ry
Si ze: 12 ” W x 15 ” H x 7. 5 ” D
Wei g h t : A p p rox i m a tel y 3 L BS
Ma te ri a l s : Wo o d , P i g m en t
LIST pricing
• M K W0 0 0 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...006 03
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