A kifwebe or bwadi bwa kifwebe is a mask of the Songye or Luba of the Congo.
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A kifwebe or bwadi bwa kifwebe is a mask of the Songye or Luba of the Congo.
These masks almost always have streaks (incised or painted) on their surface and they are sometimes round shaped (especially among the Luba). [1] They were used in ceremonies of the Kifwebe secret societies where dances of the same name were performed, and the masks were then dressed with beards of long plant fibres attached to holes on the edges of the mask (Figure A). When these beards were absent (lack of fixing holes on the border of the mask) they were called Kabemba (that means "hawks"). [2]
African art describes modern and historical paintings, sculptures, installations, and other visual culture from native or indigenous Africans and the African continent. The definition may also include the art of the African diasporas, such as African-American, Caribbean or art in South American societies inspired by African traditions. Despite this diversity, there are unifying artistic themes present when considering the totality of the visual culture from the continent of Africa.
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