This mask was created in the style of the Yaka people of DR Congo. The mask has interesting pigmented features and there is a doll figure attached to the top of the mask. The mask measures 24 inches tall, 34 inches including raffia. There are rips in the fabric of the doll – Scuffing and wear and tear – please inspect photos carefully. Stand not included.
| Type of Object | Mask |
|---|---|
| Country of Origin | DR Congo |
| Ethnicity | Yaka |
| Material | wood, pigment, fabric, raffia |
| Approximate Age | Unknown |
| Height | 24" mask | 34" w/ raffia |
| Width | 13" |
| Depth | 16" |
| Weight | 2 lbs |
| Overall Condition | Rips in figure fabric, cracking, scrapes and scuffs |
Tribe Information
About the Yaka People
“Today, the 300,000 Yaka people live along the Wamba River. They migrated from Angola during the 16th century and settled under the control of the Kongo kingdom. In the 18th century their lands were annexed by the Angola-based Lunda people, but by the 19th century the Yaka had regained their independence. Yaka society is tightly structured and headed by a chief of Lunda origin, the Kiamfu, who delegates responsibilities to ministers and lineage chiefs, Unkwagata. Young men are expected to pass through various initiation stages, including circumcision. The tribe lives principally from hunting, although subsidiary farming is undertaken by the women. Yaka artistic tradition is rich and various, but much of it has been informed by their neighbours - the Suku, the Kongo, the Holo and the Teke. Nevertheless, Yaka statues do have common characteristics- an upturned nose and applied pigments.
Source:
Baquart, Jean-Baptiste. The Tribal Arts of Africa. New York: Thames and Hudson Inc. 1998. Print.
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