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Mask
mbwoom
unidentified Congolese
Congolese
----
undated
The last member of the royal mask trinity is the character bwoom, the commoner who defies the authority of the chief mosh'ambooy and competes for the favors of ngady a mwaash. The bulging forehead may imitate the heads of the Tshwa pygmies, whom the Bushongo recognize as the original owners of their land (Cornet 1978:202). The bwoom can be recognized by its helmet shape, bulging forehead, sheets of copper applied to the face, and particularly by the band of beads, here three beads wide, dividing the face horizontally and covering the eyes. As in the case of the mosh¹ambooy (cat. CMS no. 373), the back of the head is covered with a colorful beaded pattern. Over one hundred recognized designs are given names associated with the names of the kings in whose reigns they originated (Cornet 1971:211). -- Professor Christopher Roy, School of Art and Art History, University of Iowa
Southern Savannah Africa Congo (Zaire)
Kuba
Height: 24 1/4 inches Width: 10 1/4 inches Depth: 14 inches
Wood, copper, fiber, beads
The Stanley Collection
University of Iowa. Stanley Museum of Art
X1986_195
2007-07-05
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wood (plant material) copper alloy fiber beads (pierced objects)
183425165
Plays part of commoner in skit about royal family
Governance
Political