African Art • Punu Mask • Okuyi • Gabon • 1950

Punu ethnic mask of the okuyi type gabon - 1950s 33 cm X 17 cm superb ceremonial mask. Very graphic, incredibly modern. In good condition. Okuyi masks are soft, light wooden masks, whitened with white clay mixed with bone powder. They are the commemorative representation of dead ancestors, men or women. In the large regions of the ngounié and nyanga valleys, south and south-central gabon, funeral ceremonies were the occasion for the release of white masks called okuyi, mukuyi or mukudji depending on the location. Perched on large wooden stilts, the dancer was covered with raffia or cotton fabrics. He performed breathtaking acrobatic figures in the village and around the huts. • description: mask - african art - tribal art - primitive arts • ethnicity: punu • type: okuyi • origin: gabon • period: 1950-1960 • material: wood, natural pigments • condition: good condition with small signs of wear • dimensions: 30 cm × 17 cm • weight: 2 kg.