Royal Mukyeem Elephant Mask

Date

mid-20th century

Creator

This stunning mask belonged to a sacred Kuba king. Worn in important royal court performances with an elaborate royal outfit featuring beaded jewelry and embroidered textiles, the mask represents Woot, the primordial ancestor and first sacred king of the Kuba people. As a sacred being, the Kuba king was not only the political head of state, but was also believed to hold supernatural powers over the fertility and prosperity of the nation. The king’s real wealth was represented by the imported glass beads and cowrie shells. The white cowrie shells evoked not only wealth, but the symbolic passing from the living world to that of the venerated ancestors. The mighty elephant was an ideal symbol for the king.