Royal mask (ngady a mwaash) of the Kuba/Bushoong peoples

Ngaady a mwaash' is one of the three royal masks of the Bushoong, the ruling group of the Kuba. It represents 'Mweel, the sister-wife of Woot. They formed a mythical royal couple from which the Bushoong dynasty descended. The tears, shown as stripes, symbolize Mweel’s sadness because incest was forbidden. As a result, she was forced to leave her village and to ollow another man.

This female mask was worn by a man during dances. According to legend, it was introduced by the 17th-century Queen Ngokadi. Many Kuba knew of it and performed it as a mime with other royal masks and at funerals.