Rare Antique 3 pc set of African LEGA Masks with beards

Rare Antique African Congo Bwami Society of the Lego People 3 pc set of rare Lega masks Wood carved with Raffia Early 19th Century - early 20th Century In the forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo art is created primarily for semisecret associations of men and women, such as the Bwami society of the Lega peoples. The teachings of the Bwami permeate all aspects of life, guiding the moral development of the individual and governing relations with others. Bwami doctrine is represented by wood masks, heads, and small figures, all of which play a vital role during the initiation into the society's highest grades. Most Lega masks are heart shaped with concave faces that feature a delicate mouth and eyes shaped like cowrie shells. White pigments are applied to the masks. Surprisingly the masks are rarely worn on the face, but are attached to different parts of the body, hung on fences, held in the hand, or worn over the forehead with the beard draping over the face. The masks are most frequently used during initiation ceremonies. - First one is 15" x 7" - Second one is a twins mask 16" x 7" Very Rare! - Third one is 18" x 7" Widely valued for mask collections