African masks "soko mutu" also called "miwi gwa so'o" are a particular category of masks used by the Hemba tribe, a Bantu ethnic group living mainly in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. These masks are closely linked to the culture and ancestral rituals of the Hemba.

One important exception is the soko mutu (“man’s brother”) mask of the Hemba. The soko mutu represents a chimpanzee, and the raised eyebrows and wide, jagged mouth are intended to be fearsome. The Hemba dance the soko mutu mask at funerals in order to symbolize the presence of death in the form of a chimpanzee spirit.

Amongst the Hemba, in south-eastern Congo, there are two types of such ape masks, which represent the stylised face of a chimpanzee and are called ‘soko mutu’. There are larger sized face masks, which are used in dances with full body costumes.

2014年11月5日 · A very old, small ape mask, ‘soko mutu’, of the Hemba, a subgroup of the Luba, in southeastern Congo. These ‘soko mutu masks’ belong to the ancestor cult of the Hemba and exist in two formats: large masks of this type were used for dances, whereas the smaller ones, such as the present item, were hung in the houses of the Hemba as ...

This impressive and impactive mask is a soko-mutu monkey mask, made by the Hemba group of what was once Zaire. It is almost a caricature of simian and anthropomorphic features, with a wider base than apex, a domed forehead and an exceptionally wide …

There is an easily identifiable type called mwisi gwa so'o or sometimes soko mutu, consisting of a broad smile and a long nose. This mask, depicting an ape-like face, was worn with a headdress and costume as seen in the contextual photos.

Les masques africains "soko mutu" aussi appelés "miwi gwa so'o" sont une catégorie particulière de masques utilisés par la tribu Hemba, une ethnie bantoue vivant principalement dans l'est de la République Démocratique du Congo. Ces masques sont étroitement liés à la culture et aux rituels ancestraux des Hemba.

The soko mutu mask belong to the ancestor cult of the Hemba, a subgroup of the Luba, in southeastern Congo. The larger mask were used for dances, whereas the smaller ones, such as the present item, were hung in the houses of the Hemba as protective amulets.

Les pièces dénommées soko mutu, suku muntu, (du Swahili," frère d'homme", et du KiHemba, ibombo ya soho : "face de singe") appartenaient au culte des ancêtres et existaient sous deux formes : d'une part de larges masques utilisés au cours de danses rituelles, et d'autre part, de petits masques ou statuettes servant de cadeaux, étaient ...

Wonderful Hemba monkey mask from DR Congo in a rustic style. Soko-Mutu combining animal (chimpanzee) and human facial traits. The Luba name is : Mwisu gwa So’o, in Kishwahili : …