Wood mask, 'Punu Spirit of the Dead'

A tall hairdo, closed eyes and intricate patterns on the smooth forehead characterize this handsome mask. Finished in white, the mask is linked with peace, deities, spirits of the dead and the afterlife, and thus it is used during funeral rites. Salihu Ibrahim sculpts this piece in the style of the Punu people who inhabit the upper Ngoume River region of southwestern Gabon.