LUCHAZI, LUVALE, Upper Zambezi region, Zambia. - Lot 272

LUCHAZI, LUVALE, Upper Zambezi region, Zambia. Makishi dance mask featuring a face with a vigorous, determined expression, accentuated by an open mouth revealing teeth and half-open almond-shaped eyes. The center of the forehead is adorned with three linear scarifications. Hardwood, old brown and russet patina, internal signs of use. Dimensions: 26 × 15 cm This makishi mask from Haut-Zambèze is used during male initiation rituals (mukanda), where it embodies an otherworldly spirit charged with guiding and transforming novices. The Pwevo type, to which this example belongs, represents an idealized female figure, but rendered with vigor, as evidenced by the open mouth with visible teeth, the forehead scarification and the intensity of the gaze. Carved in dense wood marked by use, it illustrates the expressive richness of the Luchazi and Luvale traditions.