Kidumu mask of the Teke people (No reserve price)

The circular Kidumu mask of the Téké ethnicity (more precisely from the sub-group of the Tsaayi or Tsaye) fulfills a double social and political function essential to the community. Created in the mid-19th century, it is the emblem of a closed male secret fraternity also called the Kidumu. Its main ritual functions are: • Social and political regulation: It serves as an instrument of power to maintain order, serve as an arbiter in judgments, or seal political alliances between different clans. • The accompaniment of major life events: It appears during major rituals such as the funerals of village chiefs and notable people, important marriages, or circumcision rites. • Protection and spiritual rebalancing: The virtuoso dancer, concealed under a full costume of raffia and feathers, performs a rhythmic acrobatic choreography (sometimes including the famous “wheel dance”) in order to drive away evil forces, counter sorcery, and redistribute vital energy within the village.

Estimate:£1.68

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