Congo - 240931 - Old Rare African Lega mask with 2 faces and raffia.

Congo: Rare ancient African mask from the Lega.
Hand carved from a single piece of colorfully painted wood.
Height: 32 cm.
This Lega mask dates from the mid 20th century and comes with a certificate of authenticity.
Valuation: 500 - 750 euros.

This African Lega mask has the special feature of 4 eyes, 4 ears, 1 nose and 1 mouth, reinforced with kaolin.
None of these African masks are meant to instill fear, frighten or terrorize the uninitiated. However, it is said that in ancient customs this type of mask was worn during circumcision ceremonies by a middle class initiate to keep women and children at bay, so the four carved eyes are not unrelated to this and therefore increase the ability of visibility and surveillance of the wearer.

In the 1970s, the Lega people lived mainly in the middle and upper Elila Valley and the upper Ulindi River Valley. These rivers both rise in eastern South Kivu and flow northwest through Maniema, where they join the Lualaba downstream of Kindu. The upper Ulindi Valley has a rich and diverse fauna, including many species of monkeys, chimpanzees, leopards, buffalo, elephants, and antelope. The valley is administratively divided into the Mwenga and Shabunda Territories of South Kivu Province and the Pangi Territory of Maniema Province.

The area is covered by deep rainforest and in the east by rugged mountains that rise to 1,800 meters or higher. The climate is warm and humid all year round. The mountains contain areas of moist forest, but also montane forests and grasslands. In the north and west, the forest is denser and deeper. The south of the region contains mosaics of forest-savanna and woodland. All the forest has long been inhabited by humans, who have cleared land for agriculture and then allowed it to grow wild again. In some places, the forest has not grown back, but has been replaced by grassland. The forest has many plants and trees that provide food and are used for other purposes, and there is an abundance of wildlife.