Nzombo initiation mask

According to the collector Anema, the indigenous name of this mask was ‘Tombela’ and it was used by the ‘sorcerer’ at the burial of princes. He also stated that ‘these masks are very difficult to obtain, you can normally find only one in each village of any importance.’ According to recent interpretations, the mask was used in initiation ceremonies by the members of the secret Mukanda or Nkanda society.
The political leadership rested with the members of this society, who underwent a training process, an initiation in the ‘forest school’(Nkanda). The conclusion of this period and the associated circumcision were accompanied by many festivities.

The members of the society performed mask dances (tudansi) for the gathered population. At the end, the masks were collected and judged. The maker of the most beautiful mask received an honorary title: Kimvumbu. Only one person in each village could be given this title. This mask is a unique specimen. The bright green colour that was applied to both temples and under the nose is not found on any other Nzombo mask from this period. It does not seem to be a local pigment, so most likely the dye was imported from Europe.

An even more remarkable feature is the mask’s physiognomy. The facial features do not show any characteristics of related masks like those of the Yaka, or of other local figures. The narrow, sharply carved nose in the fairly naturalistic face, in particular, raises the question of whether the maker was perhaps depicting the face of a European here. The mask was remarkable enough for Leo Frobenius, one of the first European ethnographers in Africa to feature it in his publication Die Masken und Geheimbünde Afrikas (1898) along with another mask that was also collected by Anema. Based on its style, this mask very probably came from the Vili from Cabinda.
According to Anema, the mask was already very old at the time and was used when it had not rained for a long time. The native name was ‘N’Doenga’ (Ndunga) and its origin was said to be in the regions of the Massabe River.

A similar mask is described as a mask that was used as a part of initiation ceremonies under the name of Buko Tchigundunga. Frobenius must have seen both masks in the Ethnographic Museum of Artis. Anema collected the masks between 1877 and 1884 in the Lower Congo region and donated them to the museum in 1884.

Wijs, S. Initiation mask. in: Faber, P., S. Wijs & D. van Dartel, 'Africa at the Tropenmuseum'. Amsterdam: KIT Publishers, 2011. p.22.

circa 54 x 47 x 10cm (21 1/4 x 18 1/2 x 3 15/16in.)

Source: collectie.tropenmuseum.nl