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Kuba notable displaying mask known as Pwoom Itok to Mrs. Joan Elisofon, Mushenge, Congo (Democratic Republic)

African Art Museum

Object Details

Photographer

Elisofon, Eliot

Collection Photographer

Elisofon, Eliot

Collection Citation

Eliot Elisofon Field Collection, EEPA 1973-001, Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution

Scope and Contents

"The mask here is known as Pwoom Itok, Ishendemala, Ishyeenmaal or Shene Malula. One encounters this type of mask among various Kuba group, including the Bushoong and the Ngeende. It appears during the young men's initiation and also performs as a dance mask. Pwoom Itok incarnates an old wise man who is consulted by the other dancers." [Cornet J., 1993: Masks Among the Kuba Peoples, Face of the Spirits]. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon traveled to Africa from early March 1951 to July 1951, accompanied by his wife, Joan B. Elisofon.
sova.eepa.1973-001_ref35996

GUID

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/xo789dc964b-06d5-41bb-8714-8c2318c8abd1

Local Numbers

Negative number 23074, R-3, 6.

General

Title source: Index card based on photographer's notes.

Place

Africa
Congo (Democratic Republic)

Topic

Photographers
Masks
Cultural landscapes
Clothing and dress -- Africa

Photographer

Elisofon, Eliot

Culture

Kuba (African people)

See more items in

Eliot Elisofon Field collection
Eliot Elisofon Field collection / Congo (Democratic Republic) / EENG / 1951

Extent

1 Negatives (photographic) (b&w, 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 inches.)

Date

1951

Archival Repository

Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art

Identifier

EEPA.1973-001, Item EEPA EENG 08918

Type

Archival materials
Negatives (photographic)
Black-and-white negatives
Negatives

Collection Rights

Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. Where noted, some images remain under the copyright of Life/Shutterstock. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.

Genre/Form

Black-and-white negatives
Negatives

Collection Restrictions

Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
EEPA.1973-001_ref35996
Large EAD
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/xo789dc964b-06d5-41bb-8714-8c2318c8abd1
EEPA.1973-001
EEPA

Record ID

ebl-1536870822481-1536871012680-0

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Eliot Elisofon Field collection

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