Bena Biombo mask

Are you dreaming of owning a Chameleon Mask?

Mulwalwa Helmet Mask
Kuba People, Kasai Province, Democratic Republic of Congo
Wood and Pigment | H: 45 cm, L: 30 cm

This exquisite mulwalwa helmet mask originates from the Southern Kuba region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, dating back to the 19th or early 20th century. Made from wood and decorated with traditional black and white tokula pigments, the mask’s chameleon-like eyes represent adaptability and transformation, powerful symbols in African cosmology.

The Bena Biombo, a Kuba subtribe, used these masks in important ceremonies, particularly funerals for their kings, and in masquerades. Such masks were not only artistic objects but also deeply spiritual tools connecting the living with the ancestors. The chameleon imagery was likely chosen for its ability to change colors, symbolizing the passage between life and death.

This mask was acquired from a private colonial collection, originally collected in situ in the 1950s.

Similar masks are housed in prestigious collections, such as the Ethnological Museum in Berlin-Dahlem (H. Salomon Collection) and the British Museum, both acquired from the Bena Biombo in the early 20th century