What does the PWO mask represent?
What does the PWO mask represent?
A popular and frequent occurrence in entertainment masquerades, mwana pwo represents a female ancestor but is always worn by a male dancer. This mask type symbolizes fecundity and the prominent role of women in Chokwe society.
What was the Chokwe mask used for?
Found amongst the Chokwe of Angola, these masculine masks (Chihongo, meaning ‘spirit of wealth’) are used to symbolize wealth and power. The masqueraders wearing the mask pay homage to male ancestors believed to be responsible for the prosperity and strength of the community.
What are Chokwe masks made of?
These masks are made of barkcloth stretched over an armature of wickerwork, covered over with black resin and painted with red and white designs. Only the current chief of a group wears Chikunga. The mask to the left was used during the inauguration ceremony of the king. The ceremony is an important investiture event.
When was the Chokwe mask made?
Mask: Female (Pwo) 19th–early 20th century Such representations are especially significant given that the Chokwe trace descent through their mothers’ lines.
Why are the eyes closed in the PWO mask?
Her eyes are closed to a narrow opening. The tears that fall from the eyes of the mask symbolize the pain of death that occurs throughout a human’s life.
Who wears the PWO mask?
Although they are exclusively worn by men, Mwana pwo masks represent female ancestors and emphasize the features that are most admired in young women. The masks are worn with a tightly knit body suit, which includes false breasts and a bustlelike fringe worn over the hips.
What is the meaning of Chokwe?
Definition of Chokwe 1a : a scattered people of northeastern Angola and adjacent parts of Democratic Republic of the Congo noted for the religious masks that they produce. b : a member of such people. 2 : a Bantu language of the Chokwe people closely related to or perhaps a dialect of Lwena.
Where is the Chokwe tribe located?
Chokwe, also spelled Ciokwe, or Cokwe, also called Bajokwe, or Badjok, Bantu-speaking people who inhabit the southern part of Congo (Kinshasa) from the Kwango River to the Lualaba; northeastern Angola; and, since 1920, the northwestern corner of Zambia.
Where is the Chokwe mask from?
Arts of Africa This cruciform design was probably derived from tin pendants traded into the Chokwe region by Portuguese voyagers as early as the seventeenth century. CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION The eyes are bean-shaped with slit openings and are enclosed in flat raised circles formed by brown and cheek.
Who made female PWO mask?
Beth Harris
. Created by Beth Harris and Steven Zucker.
How do you greet a Chokwe?
If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me….Useful phrases in Chokwe.
| Phrase | Wuchokwe (Chokwe) |
|---|---|
| Hello (General greeting) | Kuchi Menekenu Mwane (reply) |
| Hello (on phone) |
Where are the Chokwe tribe from?
What does the name Chokwe mean?
Definition of Chokwe 1a : a scattered people of northeastern Angola and adjacent parts of Democratic Republic of the Congo noted for the religious masks that they produce. b : a member of such people.
What two items did the Chokwe tribe trade?
In the second half of the 19th century though, considerable development of the trade routes between the Chokwe homelands and the Angolan coast led to increased trade of ivory and rubber.
What language do Chokwe people speak?
Chokwe is the Bantu language spoken by the Chokwe people of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola and Zambia. It is recognized as a national language of Angola, where about 456,000 people spoke it as of 1991.
Where are Chokwe people from?
How do you say hello in Chokwe?
KUCHI is one of the most common words you will hear spoken throughout the Chokwe world. This is the simplest greeting, and is often the first word learned by those who have an interest in the language.
How do you say hello in Hakha Chin?
We might say something like this: “Hello. Hitin kan chim khawh: “Na dam maw? 4 When Doing Street Work: You could say: “Hello. 4 Lam Cung Phungchim Tikah: Hitin na chim khawh: “Hello.
What does Ka DAWT mean?
v. reciprocate – Example: She loves me and I reciprocate her affection = A ka dawt i ka dawt tthan ve.
What does the mwana pwo mask symbolize?
This mask type symbolizes fecundity and the prominent role of women in Chokwe society. Although idealized, its features suggest the individuality of a portrait, raising the possibility that it may be modeled on a particular woman. Mwana pwo often features elements of beauty such as scarification and hairstyles.
What is a Chokwe mask?
queen mother or a chief’s wife. The most powerful and important Chokwe mask is known as chikunga. Highly charged with power and considered sacred, chikunga is used during investiture ceremonies of a chief and sacrifices to the ancestors. These masks are made of barkcloth stretched over
What are the features of mwana pwo?
Although idealized, its features suggest the individuality of a portrait, raising the possibility that it may be modeled on a particular woman. Mwana pwo often features elements of beauty such as scarification and hairstyles. Art Express, Images of African and African-American Art: A Self-Guided Tour (Art Institute of Chicago, 1996), n.pag. fig. 3.
What does Pwo mean in Chokwe?
Source: “CHOKWE! – Art and Initiation Among Chokwe and Related Peoples” Pwo signifies womanhood and an elder ancestral female associated with fertility. Although performed by a male dancer, the costume includes wooden breasts and a female bustle behind.
