African Fine Arts - AFRICAN-ART

Kwele Mask # 1 - Gabon
The rare masks of the Kwele, a little investigated ethnic group of northeast Gabon and the adjacent area of the Republic of Congo, are associated with the Bwete association, which maintains social order. The masks are used in initiation rites and at the end of periods of mourning. Representing benevolent forest spirits, they have zoomorphic and anthropomorphic traits, or a combination of the two. The faces are usually painted in white kaolin earth, a pigment associated by the Kwele with light and clarity, the two essential factors in the fight against witchcraft. Only a few of these masks have eye slits and are thus suitable for wearing as a facemask. As field research has shown, however, the masks used in ceremonies had no eye apertures and were merely shown to the onlookers rather than being worn. The meaning of the masks with a human face and curved horns is not known. The curved horn motif echoes the heart shape of the face. They have been interpreted as representing antelopes or rams, but no explanation of the underlying belief system was given.