Monkey mask

Object Details

Hemba artist

Label Text

This mask is called so'o, meaning "human chimpanzee." It has a human face and a chimpanzee's mouth. To the Hemba, so'o is a frightening, unnatural creature that represents death. The mask appears at the end of a long series of funeral rites to conclude the mourning period. Through a performance that moves from threatening to amusing, the mask helps people make the transition from grief back to their daily routine.

Description

Wood monkey mask with slanted oval eyes, narrow pointed nose and large grinning mouth with serated edge forms at the bottom of the mask.

Provenance

Mohamed Kaba, 1972

Emile M. Deletaille, Brussels, 1972 to 1985

Exhibition History

Artful Animals, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., July 1, 2009-July 25, 2010

Masques du Monde, Société Génerale de Banque, Brussels, June 28-July 31, 1974

Published References

Société Génerale de Banque. 1974. Masques du monde. Bruxelles: Société Génerale de Banque, no. 79.

Content Statement

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Credit Line

Museum purchase

Early to mid-20th century

Object number

85-15-16

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Type

Mask

Medium

Wood

Dimensions

H x W x D: 23 x 16 x 12.1 cm (9 1/16 x 6 5/16 x 4 3/4 in.)

Geography

Democratic Republic of the Congo

See more items in

National Museum of African Art Collection

Object Name

so'o

National Museum of African Art

Topic

monkey

male

Record ID

nmafa_85-15-16

Metadata Usage (text)

Usage conditions apply

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys71e933bb2-5fb4-4832-bd74-6156f0c8f3db