A carved wooden Pwo mask of the Chokwe people of eastern Angola, representing Mwana Pwo, the idealised young woman and revered female ancestor. Pwo masks are among the most admired works of Chokwe art, celebrated for their refined features and calm, inward-looking expression.
Date: Circa early 20th century
Geography: Eastern Angola
Culture: Chokwe
Dimensions: 39cm L x 19cm W x 11cm D
Weight: 706g
Material: Wood, with pigment
Condition: Good for its age. See photos.About the mask
In Chokwe tradition, Pwo honours the women who founded the lineage and represents ideals of beauty, grace and fertility. Although the mask represents a woman, it’s worn by a male dancer, who imitates graceful feminine movements. Pwo appears at festivals and celebrations, including those marking the end of mukanda, the boys’ initiation, where the dancers are believed to bring fertility and prosperity to the community.
Pwo belongs to the wider group of Chokwe mask characters known as akishi, the spirits of the ancestors. Her male counterpart is Chihongo, who represents wealth and the power of the chief.
The carving
Forehead: a raised four-petalled cross motif, known as cingelyengelye, one of the classic Chokwe scarification marks.
Eyes: half closed beneath heavy lids, within white-painted hollows that sweep down the cheeks, echoing the “tear” marks (masoji) often carved on Pwo masks.
Mouth: small, full lips coloured red, below a long, slender nose.
Face: a dark, smooth surface with a rounded cap-like forehead.
It’s a striking piece for display on a wall or stand, and a fine example of one of Africa’s best-known mask traditions.
As with all our antique and vintage pieces, this mask is one of a kind, and natural signs of age, wear and handling should be expected as part of its authentic character. Dimensions and weight are approximate.
A carved wooden Pwo mask of the Chokwe people of eastern Angola, representing Mwana Pwo, the idealised young woman and revered female ancestor. Pwo masks are among the most admired works of Chokwe art, celebrated for their refined features and calm, inward-looking expression.
Date: Circa early 20th century
Geography: Eastern Angola
Culture: Chokwe
Dimensions: 39cm L x 19cm W x 11cm D
Weight: 706g
Material: Wood, with pigment
Condition: Good for its age. See photos.About the mask
In Chokwe tradition, Pwo honours the women who founded the lineage and represents ideals of beauty, grace and fertility. Although the mask represents a woman, it’s worn by a male dancer, who imitates graceful feminine movements. Pwo appears at festivals and celebrations, including those marking the end of mukanda, the boys’ initiation, where the dancers are believed to bring fertility and prosperity to the community.
Pwo belongs to the wider group of Chokwe mask characters known as akishi, the spirits of the ancestors. Her male counterpart is Chihongo, who represents wealth and the power of the chief.
The carving
Forehead: a raised four-petalled cross motif, known as cingelyengelye, one of the classic Chokwe scarification marks.
Eyes: half closed beneath heavy lids, within white-painted hollows that sweep down the cheeks, echoing the “tear” marks (masoji) often carved on Pwo masks.
Mouth: small, full lips coloured red, below a long, slender nose.
Face: a dark, smooth surface with a rounded cap-like forehead.
It’s a striking piece for display on a wall or stand, and a fine example of one of Africa’s best-known mask traditions.
As with all our antique and vintage pieces, this mask is one of a kind, and natural signs of age, wear and handling should be expected as part of its authentic character. Dimensions and weight are approximate.
