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Image / Mask in wood, in Bana

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Title
Mask in wood, in Bana
Creator
Broussous, Daniel, 1912-1973
Date Created and/or Issued
1945/1953
Publication Information
University of Southern California. Libraries
Contributing Institution
University of Southern California Digital Library
Collection
International Mission Photography Archive, ca.1860-ca.1960
Rights Information
102 boulevard Arago - 75014 Paris, France
Défap - Service protestant de mission (Département évangélique français d’action apostolique)
http://www.defap-bibliotheque.fr/index.php?id=266
http://www.defap.fr/contact.php
Description
This mask is made in wood and with plaited hair. It is used for the dance of the Kounga.
The Kounga is a religious and magical society. Notables and fetishists are in it and the post is hereditary. People of this society are the Kounga'ze. They are the last people who have the power of the magic spells
they would have the power to plant a banana tree and to pick the fruits on the same day
fifteen days for the raffia which gives wine. They tighten creepers between trees to make spirits step back. They have to do magical incantations for protection of the crops, for the rain or the protection of the land
dances and fire to step back evil spells. The Koungas sometimes sing laments or indigenous proverbs or opinions. From 1945 to 1959, Daniel Broussous was the head doctor of the protestant hospital of Bangwa, set up by the Société des missions évangéliques de Paris (Paris evangelical mission society) in the south of the region Bamileke in 1935. Broussous took many photographs documenting the art, the architecture, the traditions and the daily-life of Bamileke chieftainships. He also made several films.
Type
image
Format
black-and-white negatives, 6x4.5 cm
photographs
Identifier
impa-m70460 [Legacy record ID]
IMP-DEFAP_CMN071-04719_2
http://doi.org/10.25549/impa-m70460
http://thumbnails.digitallibrary.usc.edu/IMP-DEFAP_CMN071-04719_2.jpg
Subject
African art
Arts
Masks
Time Period
1945/1953
Place
Bamileke (Cameroon)
Bana (Cameroon)
Cameroon
Source
SMEP/CM.N.071-04719 [File]
Relation
Défap - Service protestant de mission
Fonds photographique Daniel Broussous / Société des missions évangéliques de Paris
International Mission Photography Archive, ca.1860-ca.1960
Photographs of the Défap - Service protestant de mission, Paris, ca. 1880-1971
impa-m62959

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