Antique African Senufo Mythical Creature Kponyungo Funeral Head Mask

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An Ivory Coast Senufo carved mythical beast Kponyungo funeral head mask. Having a large gaping open mouth, visible painted tongue … Read more An Ivory Coast Senufo carved mythical beast Kponyungo funeral head mask. Having a large gaping open mouth, visible painted tongue and exposed carved teeth, deeply carved protruding eyes, horns or ears bent backward, hollow interior for head placement, pierced rim for attachment and attached string for wall hanging. This unique whimsical zoomorphic mask is very decorative and makes for a wonderful conversation piece.

- Brief description of Kponyungo masks:

The kponyungo is a ritual mask created by the Senufo people, an ethnolinguistic group residing in Africa's Ivory Coast.

Kponyungo masks are spiritual items used in funeral ceremonies. In this ritual, one member from each participating Poro Organization (a secret men’s society, also referred to as a hunting society) wears a mask and will drum next to the home of the deceased or the home belonging to the deceased lineage group. The purpose of this ceremony is to capture the spirit of the deceased. If the spirit is allowed to roam free, it might bring the original chaos back to the Senufo people. The author of this does not claim to understand the nature of 'chaos' as it is understood by the Senufo. Regardless, this ceremony is based on the preservation of the Senufo people and culture, as they believe that the death of one member has the potential to bring about the destruction of their society.

The physical design of the mask is important to its ceremonial roles. Each mask is made differently, has different meaning to the person who crafts it, and serves different purposes within the funeral ritual depending on its physical attributes. See less