The mask to the left was used during the inauguration ceremony of the king. The ceremony is an important investiture event. During the ceremony sacrifices are made to the ancestors. According to Chokwe belief, ancestral spirits play the crucial role of providing for living descendants. The ancestral characters also protect the peoples from intruders or evil (wanga) supernatural elements. The Chokwe people influenced the art of many neighboring tribes, including the Lunda, Mbunda, Lovale and Mbangani.
The most powerful and important Chokwe mask is known as chikunga. Highly charged with power and considered sacred, chikunga is used during investiture ceremonies of a chief and sacrifices to the ancestors. These masks are made of barkcloth stretched …show more content…
The mukanda is an initiatory institution through which religion, art, and social organization are transmitted from one generation to the next. Mukanda training lasts from one to two years. Boys between the ages of about eight and twelve are secluded in a camp in the wilderness, away from the village. There they are circumcised and spend several months in a special lodge where they are instructed in their anticipated roles as men. As part of their instruction, the boys are taught the history and traditions of the group and the secrets associated with the wearing and making of masks.
In the past some masks played important roles in religious beliefs and institutional practices, many other Chokwe masks have come to be used primarily for entertainment. Itinerant actors wearing these masks travel from village to village, living on gifts received at performances. Most masks are carved from wood. The most popular and best-known entertainment masks are chihongo, spirit of wealth, and pwo, his …show more content…
Around 1860, the Chokwe people were hard hit by a drought and famine. They migrated back towards the south and settled in Angola and in Zaire, at the source of the Kwangi, Kasai and Lungwe rivers.
The Chokwe and related peoples have been greatly affected by modern conflicts, despite the adversity they continue to pursue their own ways. In militarized areas in Angola and Congo, as well as in Zambian refugee camps, they practice initiation, divination, and healing rites. Some Chokwe chiefs have been displaced by war, and their authority has been challenged by modern governments’ political goals. Nevertheless, Chokwe chiefs continue to represent traditional and sacred authority.
A further point of note, is that the DRC (Democratic Republic Of Congo have been engaged in war for a number of years. All over Africa where countries are involved in armed conflict and war we have one underlying factor, namely all the countries are rich in mineral wealth, namely gold, diamonds and or oil. According to tribal elders, unscrupulous "faceless" men fuel most of the wars, so that they can stake a claim on the rich mineral resources while the country is in a state of
The most powerful and important Chokwe mask is known as chikunga. Highly charged with power and considered sacred, chikunga is used during investiture ceremonies of a chief and sacrifices to the ancestors. These masks are made of barkcloth stretched …show more content…
The mukanda is an initiatory institution through which religion, art, and social organization are transmitted from one generation to the next. Mukanda training lasts from one to two years. Boys between the ages of about eight and twelve are secluded in a camp in the wilderness, away from the village. There they are circumcised and spend several months in a special lodge where they are instructed in their anticipated roles as men. As part of their instruction, the boys are taught the history and traditions of the group and the secrets associated with the wearing and making of masks.
In the past some masks played important roles in religious beliefs and institutional practices, many other Chokwe masks have come to be used primarily for entertainment. Itinerant actors wearing these masks travel from village to village, living on gifts received at performances. Most masks are carved from wood. The most popular and best-known entertainment masks are chihongo, spirit of wealth, and pwo, his …show more content…
Around 1860, the Chokwe people were hard hit by a drought and famine. They migrated back towards the south and settled in Angola and in Zaire, at the source of the Kwangi, Kasai and Lungwe rivers.
The Chokwe and related peoples have been greatly affected by modern conflicts, despite the adversity they continue to pursue their own ways. In militarized areas in Angola and Congo, as well as in Zambian refugee camps, they practice initiation, divination, and healing rites. Some Chokwe chiefs have been displaced by war, and their authority has been challenged by modern governments’ political goals. Nevertheless, Chokwe chiefs continue to represent traditional and sacred authority.
A further point of note, is that the DRC (Democratic Republic Of Congo have been engaged in war for a number of years. All over Africa where countries are involved in armed conflict and war we have one underlying factor, namely all the countries are rich in mineral wealth, namely gold, diamonds and or oil. According to tribal elders, unscrupulous "faceless" men fuel most of the wars, so that they can stake a claim on the rich mineral resources while the country is in a state of