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Lot Essay
The term kifwebe simply means "mask" to the Songye, but has long been used to refer exclusively to this type of mask by collectors, dealers and academics. The cult which used the kifwebe had begun about the turn of this century, when its function was connected with the "social control of women and children" (Wardwell quoting Merriam, in Wardwell, A., African Sculpture, Philadelphia, 1986, p.123.)
Mestach (Mestach, J.W., Etudes Songye, Munich, 1985) divides the "classical" style of kifwebe mask into three categories, the male (kilume) usually with a high crest, the female (kikashi) with a very low crest if any, and the largest and most powerful (kia ndoshi). The present mask is certainly of the second type, the kikashi, indicated by the lack of crest and the finely grooved and whitened surface contrasting with the black of the eyes and the line down the center of the forehead, features which appear to be universal to the female kifwebe.
Mestach (Mestach, J.W., Etudes Songye, Munich, 1985) divides the "classical" style of kifwebe mask into three categories, the male (kilume) usually with a high crest, the female (kikashi) with a very low crest if any, and the largest and most powerful (kia ndoshi). The present mask is certainly of the second type, the kikashi, indicated by the lack of crest and the finely grooved and whitened surface contrasting with the black of the eyes and the line down the center of the forehead, features which appear to be universal to the female kifwebe.