EO.0.0.33780
Cihongo. Masker / Masque / Mask. Dilolo, Katanga, RD Congo.[Tshokwe]. Branch, feather, pith, paper, plant fiber, bark cloth, hide. Field-collected by G.F. de Witte. 1931. EO.0.0.33780
An ethnographic acquisition by a biologist
These masks were acquired by the biologist Gaston-François de Witte during his first expeditions for the Museum. In 1931, while on a mission in Katanga, de Witte acquired numerous Chokwe masks in the town of Dilolo, close to the Angolan border, together with their integral costumes. It was a very valuable acquisition, because few collectors did this. Whether for aesthetic considerations or for logistical reasons, most collectors limited themselves systematically and strictly to the ‘face’ of the mask.
Moreover, the biologist photographed most of these masks from a full-length, front and side view. This is an important visual record to specify their material characteristics (costume, accessories), although it is not sufficient to reconstruct their immaterial context (dances, songs).
A collection influenced by the interests of the collectors
On his research expeditions, de Witte was accompanied by porters. This allowed him to acquire as many objects as he did. Although he had a genuine interest in Congolese cultures, the information about the collected objects remains very limited because he was not an ethnologist. Frequently, only the name of the place of collection and the population group were noted.
During his first two missions to Congo, in 1925 and 1931, G.-F. de Witte sought to collect all elements – natural and cultural – from an area. Afterwards, he concentrated exclusively on biological samples.
Zoologist G.-F. de Witte with his Chokwe mask collection, 1931. EP.0.0.5825.