Fang Mask Ngil Society Large Wood Gabon African Art

Description

Type of Object
Mask
Country of Origin
Gabon
People
Fang
Materials
Wood, pigment
Approximate Age
20th century
Height (in)
14
Width (in)
9
Depth (in)
6.5
Overall Condition
Fair. Most of our pieces have spent decades on at least two continents, and have been treasured by several owners.   Small splits, scrapes and cracks are a normal part of their patina attesting to their age and extensive use.  We examine each piece carefully when we receive it and report any damage we find in our listings.  Please look carefully at the pictures which may also reveal condition and damage.
Damage/Repair
Very worn surface in areas, chipping. See photos for details.
Additional Information:
Fang, also spelled Fãn, Bantu-speaking peoples occupying the southernmost districts of Cameroon south of the Sanaga River, mainland Equatorial Guinea, and the forests of the northern half of Gabon south to the Ogooué River estuary. They numbered about 3,320,000 in the late 20th century. The Fang speak languages of the Bantu subgroup of the Niger-Congo language family. They can be divided into three linguistic groups: the Beti to the north, the main tribes being the Yaunde, or Éwondo, and Bene; the Bulu, including the Bulu proper, Fong, Zaman, and Yelinda; and the Fang in the south, including the Fang proper, Ntumu, and Mvae.
According to tradition, the Fang migrated into the forest from the savanna plateau on the right bank of the Sanaga River at the beginning of the 19th century, as small groups or families of nomadic agriculturalists. Their militant nature allowed them to sieze land from their weaker neighbors as they moved in. They were fine warriors and hunters and cultivated a reputation for cannibalism in order to repel outsiders and attacks from others. Under colonial rule they engaged in ivory trading and after World War I, they turned to large-scale cocoa farming. The rain forests surrounding the Fang must be subjected to slash and burn techniques, combined with crop rotation to yield agricultural products. By moving crops from year to year, erosion and soil depletion is avoided.
HM0821
**138545**
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