#chokwe

This is my small collection of wooden masks. Most of them are African, only the last two are Indonesian. I love African tribal art and apart from the masks I have Ashanti Akuaba doll from Ghana and a small ebony Makonde sculpture from Mozambique.

Ceremonial mask representing a male ancestor (Chihongo), Chokwe culture, Angola, late 19th - early 20th century. 

Female Face Mask (Mwana Pwo), Chokwe, 1875, Art Institute of Chicago: Arts of Africa

A popular and frequent occurrence in entertainment masquerades, mwana pwo represents a female ancestor but is always worn by a male dancer. This mask type symbolizes fecundity and the prominent role of women in Chokwe society. Although idealized, its features suggest the individuality of a portrait, raising the possibility that it may be modeled on a particular woman. Mwana pwo often features elements of beauty such as scarification and hairstyles. Major Acquisitions Centennial Endowment Size: 44.5 × 19.3 × 18.7 cm (17 1/2 × 7 5/8 × 7 3/8 in.) Medium: Wood, fiber, beads, and pigment

Lunda-Chokwe

Proposed state: Democratic Republic of Lunda-Tchokwé

Region: Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Moxico, and Cuando Cubango, Angola

Ethnic group: Chokwe

Goal: autonomy

Date: 2007-present

Political parties: Partido Democrático da Defesa do Estado Lunda-Tchokwé (PDDELT)

Militant organizations: Mulher Unida da Lunda-Tchokwé (MULT), Pioneiros Unidos da Lunda-Tchokwé (PULT), Juventude Unida da Lunda-Tchokwé (JULT)

Current status: inactive

History

1484 - the Portuguese arrive in Angola

1575-1975 - Portuguese Angola

1600-1887 - Kingdom of Lunda

1885-1894 - Kingdom of Chokwe

1961-1974 - Angolan War of Independence

1975-2002 - Angolan Civil War

2007 - independence proclamation of Lunda-Chokwe

Defenders of Lunda-Chokwe independence argue that the Alvor Agreement, which ended the Angolan War of Independence, ignored the existence of the protectorate of Lunda-Chokwe.

In 2007, the people of Lunda-Chokwe proclaimed their independence from Angola by submitting a letter to the president. The government reacted by arresting and jailing them.

Sometime later, Lunda-Chokwe activists reconsidered the independence proclamation and decided to opt for autonomy instead.

Chokwe people

The Chokwe people live in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zambia. They speak Chokwe, a Bantu language that belongs to the Atlantic-Congo family.

There are 1.3 million Chokwe. They are mainly Christian, but also retain their traditional animist beliefs.

They are famous for their crafts work, including baskets, pottery, mask carving, and statues, and are traditionally a matrilineal society.

Vocabulary

Since there is little information about the Chokwe language, most of the vocabulary list is in Portuguese, the official language of Angola.

ucôkwe - Chokwe language

autonomia - autonomy

chócues - Chokwe people

guerra - war

Guerra Civil Angolana - Angolan Civil War

Guerra de Independência de Angola - Angolan War of Independence

independência - independence

República de Angola - Republic of Angola

sangue - blood

Tchokwé - Chokwe