Metoko Butoka Society Mask, Congo #846

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Metoko Butoka Society Mask, Congo #846
The Mbole, Yela, Lengola and Metoko Ethnic Groups, whose Initiatory Societies have similarities, live on the left bank of the Congo River in the Lualaba Region of Katanga.
Their Community Association, the Butoka Society, welcoming both men and women, is the equivalent of the Bwami Association of the Lega.
“The 15,000 Metoko People live surrounded on three sides by the Lengola People. They are also regulated by the Butoka Society and are divided into six Clans. Living in deeps forests, hunting is their main source of food. The Figures produced by the Metoko are large, have either vary angular or abstract features, and are often covered with painted or incised dots. They are used at the beginning of the Circumcision Ceremonies. Metoko Masks are covered with paint across the cheeks and the forehead and are worn during Funerals for Butoka Society Members. “ - Baquart, Jean-Baptiste. The Tribal Arts of Africa. New York: Thames and Hudson Inc. 1998. Print.
Measurements: 42×10×26 cm