Masque de policier - Chewa - Malawi / Zambie

Les Chewa sont le plus grand groupe ethnique du Malawi et sont également présents en Zambie.

Selon la personne qui l'a collecté en 2005 dans un village près de Chipata en Zambie, ce type de masque, d'inspiration coloniale qui semble représenter un policier avec sa casquette, demeure caché dans une forêt sacrée jusqu'à ce qu'il soit dansé.

Aucune femme n'a le droit de poser ses yeux dessus à moins qu'il soit porté pour une danse.

Quelques informations complémentaires, en anglais :

“Gule Wamkulu”, literally meaning “big dance”, have become a sort of title for secret societies of traditional Chewa religious practices. The Gule Wamkulu ceremonies consist of formally organized dances to admire the remarkable physical abilities of these individuals – considered to be adept at their dance as a result of their spiritual state. Informally, Gule Wamkulu, or “Gule” is a term associated with anyone who participates in the rituals of these secret societies. The peak season for Gule occurs in July, with young men dressed as ancestral animals, trees, or in masks of ancestral spirits. The Gule themselves are initiated through formal ceremony into this society. Gule are considered to be in ‘animal state’ when they are dressed in such attire, and are not to be approached. If one has the misfortune of passing a Gule on the road, traditional behavior consists of dropping a few coins for the Gule – never handing them the money directly for fear they will grab you and take you to the cemetery for ritual purposes. Generally, it is best to avoid Gule in informal situations. In their animal or ancestral state, they are unpredictable.

Provenance collection particulière.

Masque de petite ancienneté, mais rare. Bois dur, peinture rouge, couvre tête en fibres végétales.

Pour collectionneur averti.