Okuyi Mask - Punu People, Gabon

The Punu are equatorial forest peoples living along the Ogowe and Ngounie River region of southwest Gabon.
The hairstyles of the Okuyi masks recall the way the women did their hair. The dancers walked on stilts, hidden beneath a mass of cloth. Although the features are the Punu ideals of female beauty, white is the color of death. Worn by men, the mask represents the spirit of a dead person and appears chiefly during mourning ceremonies.

Ex. Allen Davis Collection, Virginia.
Allen Davis - Bio August 23, 1927 ~ February 17, 2025

Ambassador Allen Davis, led a life marked by service, diplomacy and a deep appreciation for nature and a passion for collecting African art. He found beauty and meaning in the cultures he encountered throughout his life.

To view more of the Allen Davis Collection entitiled ‘African Brilliance: A Diplomat’s Sixty Years of Collecting’ an exhibit at Palmer Museum of Art, Penn State 2020 go to; https://exhibitions.psu.edu/s/african-brilliance/page/allen-davis

Height: 8" x Width: 6 1/2" x Depth: 5"

Weathered, with the top part of lip missing.