This is a small mask from the Kwele people, who live in northeastern Gabon and Congo. The Kwele people are known for their Ekuk masks, which feature a white heart-shaped face. These sacred masks appear at the beginning of rituals to invoke "Ekuk, the spirit of the good forest" and guide the entire village towards purification and renewal. This mask, on the other hand, appears at the end of the ritual and embodies a more personal and spiritual protective power, symbolizing inner peace and protection for the people. Masks like this, which primarily utilize the natural texture of the wood and a deep, aged color, were often used to protect specific individuals and served as a form of identification. It is said that they were carried as such. The texture is like the wood's breath itself, and the aged color tone retains a raw warmth. The powerful linear carvings from the brow to the bridge of the nose evoke a gentleness and compassion reminiscent of a Buddhist bodhisattva, and the narrowed eyes express a soft sense of enlightenment. Item Specifications: * Origin: Gabon, Kwele people * Material: Wood * Size (approx.): Height 14cm, Width 10.5cm, Thickness 4cm Indeed, it has an expression that seems to "understand something." When it catches the light, it has a mysterious allure, as if looking back at you from the depths of the forest. It's difficult to express, but if the purity of white kaolin is "prayer," then this mask is "meditation" itself. While it is African art, it has a somewhat oriental atmosphere, which makes me feel a connection with the Japanese. It's cute. #KweleMask #KwelePeople #AfricanArt #TribalArt #EthnicSculpture #AfricanArt #PrimitiveArt #TribalMask #ArtCollector #PassportMask #Mingei #FolkCrafts #Primitive