Mask (bwoom)

This forceful helmet mask performed at initiations and other ceremonies related to the foundation of the Kuba kingdom and its ruling Bushoong dynasty. Depending on the context, such masks might embody nature spirits, commoners, nearby Mbuti (pygmy) forest dwellers, or the founder Woot's contentious brother Bwoom, who competed for the affections of Woot's wife-sister. The bulging forehead and lips are sheathed in copper, and lavish strands of beads ornament the surface, beard, and ears.