Details
ITEM NAME#:
Lega Idimu Mask
ITEM #:
5560
ETHNICITY:
Lega
ORIGIN:
Democratic Republic of Congo
MEDIUM:
Wood, patina of age, grass.
DIMENSIONS:
16″ Tall (40.6 cm) x 12″ Wide (30.5cm)
CONDITION:
Good considering age. Age damage present, see images.
PROVENANCE:
Jean-Pierre Hallet Estate Collection – California, USA.
CATALOGUE NOTE:
The Lega Idimu mask is distinct from the Lukwakongo as it is large, bearded, and always white. Usually crafted from wood but sometimes other materials, this mask is collectively owned and kept by a designated member of Yananio or Kindi. It can also be entrusted to a counterpart in another ritual group, fostering connections between communities. Featured in both Yananio and Kindi ceremonies, during a significant event, the Lega idimu mask is displayed on a fence alongside individually owned lukwakongo masks. Symbolizing the originator who introduced higher Bwami levels to the community and shared them with attendees through their personal masks.
The Lega people are believed to have originated from present-day Uganda and according to their oral tradition, they migrated southward until they settled in their present-day location on the edge of a densely forested area, where they still live today. The early Lega were hunters and gatherers. Later, they became farmers and traders. Their social and political organization was based on an age-grade society, where the system was organized into five or six main age grades, each with its unique initiation rituals.
Source: Art of the Lega – ISBN: 0-930741-88-9
