Royal Kuba Elephant mask

Moshambwooy and his mythical wife/sister named Ngady Amwaash.

These creations have been transmitted through many generations and in this process their original meaning seems to have been lost.

During celebrations, initiations, crop harvesting, war preparation, peace and trouble times, African masks are worn by a chosen or initiated dancer. African masks often represent a spirit and it is strongly believed that the spirit of the ancestors possesses the wearer.

Ritual ceremonies generally are centered around the  spirits of ancestors, mythological beings, good and or evil, the dead, animal spirits, and other beings believed to have power over humanity. Masks of human ancestors or totem ancestors are regarded as the dwelling of the spirit they represent; the masks may be honored with ceremonies and gifts.

During the mask ceremony the dancer goes into deep trance, and during this state of mind he "communicates" with his ancestors. A wise man or translator sometimes accompanies the wearer of the mask during the ritual.The dancer brings forth messages of wisdom from his ancestors. Often the messages are grunted utterances and the translator will accurately decipher the meaning of the message.

The Mindset Of  a Mask Sculptor
In producing a mask, a sculptor's aim is to depict a person's psychological and moral characteristics rather than provide a portrait. The sculptor begins by cutting a piece of wood and leaving it to dry in the sun; if it cracks, it cannot be used for a mask. African sculptors see wood as a complex living material and believe each piece can add its own feature to their work. Having made certain the wood is suitable, the sculptor begins, using an azde to carve the main features, a chisel to work on details and a rough leaf to sand the piece. He then paints the mask with pigments such as charcoal (to agive a black colour), powders made from vegetable matter or trees (for ochre/earth tones) or mineral powders like clay (to give a white colour).

Bwoom is a legendary figure that sometimes is interpreted as a prince, a Pygmy or a hydrocephalic, or as an agitator against the king; the legend states that Bwoom contested his brother's right to the thrown and his marriage to Ngady amwaash, represented by the royal female mask.
Woot, the mythical ancestor believed to have established the Kuba's royal lineage, is represented by a mask called Mosh'ambooy. This mask is identified by its pipe-like shape projecting from the top of the mask and looking like the trunk of an elephant. Another important character is Woot's sister, Mweel, who is represented at dances with the mask Ngady a mwaash.

In the creation story, Woot leaves his village because he has leprosy and his sister Mweel leaves with him.They live in the forest where Mweel becomes the wife of Woot. (This relationship is similar to the Greek creation myth of Zeus and Hera, who were brother and sister as well as husband and wife.) When Woot was cured, he returned to his village, but soon fled once the villagers discovered his relationship with his sister. Angry with the villagers, Woot destroyed the village and took away the sun, leaving the world in complete darkness and desolation. At Mweel's request, Woot returned light and growth to the land. In the myth, Woot travels throughout the countryside creating plants and animals, and leaving people on the land, where the Kuba eventually settled.

Bwoom is considered the opposite of Mosh'ambooy. While the latter is a great leader, Bwoom is a mere commoner who disobeys Woot and pursues Mweel. The Bwoom masks often have a bulging forehead, which may mimic the heads of the pygmies who were destroyed by Woot in the creation story. Also common for these masks are the patterned rows of beads which divide the mask into parts and covers the eyes."

The Moshambwooy Mask is named after a dangerous water-spirit and is considered by Kuba elders to be the symbol of Woot, the founding hero of the Kuba people. It can be called Moshambwooy mushal, the "feathered" Moshambwooy, which represents the meaning and authority of the king's mask. This mask can not be made or danced without the king's permission. 
The mask depicts an old man with a white beard (although the beard is not attached to the chin of this mask),which symbolizes both the ancestor Woot and the wisdom of a man with great experience. The face of the Moshambwooy is made by stretching animal skin over a rigid frame (the king's mask is made of leopard skin, a symbol of royalty and chiefship). The interlacing pattern of beads and cowrie shells that decorate the mask are also signs of royalty.

The Bwoom Mask, with its bulging forehead, represents Bwoom, the son of the great God, Woot. Bwoom was sent to Earth by his father to establish the Kuba dynasty. He was accompanied by his sister Ngaady aMwaash, and his brother Mwaash aMbooy (the King; see image) with whom he struggles with for power. Bwoom seeks both his brother's throne and wife, Ngaady aMwaash. Bwoom also symbolically speaks for the common man.
The Bwoom Mask is danced at boys initiation ceremonies and in reenactments of the founding of the Kuba society.

The Ngaady aMwaash Mask represents the daughter of the great God Woot, who is also the wife of the first king from whom all Kuba royalty trace their lineage. A Kuba ideal of beauty, Ngaady aMwaash was fought over by Mwaash aMbooy, her husband and king, and his brother, Bwoom. The diagonal lines below the eyes represent tears and refer to the hardships of women as well as the funerary context in which this mask also performs.
The strip of beadwork that covers her mouth, perhaps refer to the silence of women.
The Ngady aMwaash Mask portrays Mweel, Woot's beautiful sister and wife (alternatively, mother), and who
represents women in general. The mask is striking with its stong pattern of white and black triangles
Painted on the face, which are said to represent hearthstones and domesticity. Lines painted down the
cheeks represent tears and recall the pain of death, for royal masks often appear in funerary contexts.
The tears also denote the hardship of a woman's life as a "pawn" of male authority
 -- befitting the mask's name (Ngady aMwaash), which means "pawn woman of Mwaash,"
 her husband/brother king . The Ngady amwaash and Moshambwooy masks dance together on ceremonial occasions with great dignity and pride.

The Pembu mask belonging to the chiefly regalia, of the Eastern Pende people, Pumbu is deemed the most dangerous and is reserved for only the most powerful chiefs. The Pumbu mask represents the part of the executive branch that must deal with war and execution. The Pumbu, unlike the majority of other mask, is only danced on special occasions such as, when the chief is seriously ill, in times of illness or famine, when other issues are causing disruption in the community or when the chief feels threatened. Through the dancing of the Pumbu the chief asserts his authority.
The interlacing diamond patterns of the mask are symbols of chiefship and royalty. The large wide opened eyes of the mask, showing lots of white conveys anger. The beared teeth of the mask symbolize the fierce power of the chief and the ears sticking out from the sides of the mask mean that the chief hears everything that goes on and knows all. The overall aesthetics of the mask are meant to evoke fear; this idea is even more evident in the performance of this mask.

Kipoko is the most popular of the Pende chief's masks; and it affects the community's health and welfare. In contrast to the fearsome Pumbu mask, the Kipoko signifies the chief's protective and nurturing powers. The mask's large eyes, ears, and nose signify the chief's ability to see and hear everything and to "smell out" sorcerers in his community. The diminutive size of the mouth conveys the idea that the chief should be slow to speak lest hasty words create difficulties for him. Healing is an important function of the Kipoko's performance, and people come forward and kneel before the dancer to be healed of their

Mbuya Masks,are used to represent different characters. Mbangu, represents a cursed man, someone who has been struck by sickness or has had deformities cast upon him by sorcerers. Although his face shows signs of nerve paralysis, features characteristic of the katundu style in the Pende region are still apparent. The eyebrow line is the shape of an inverted "W"; it has triangular nose and pointed chin.
The mask shows that a curse can strike like lightning without warning. Onlookers see one of their own kind who has been rendered powerless, unable to shake off the curse that has struck him.
Specialists have reason to believe that this mask inspired not only Picasso's famous 1907 painting Les demoiselles' d'Avignon but also other later cubist works.

TheAfricanCollector is passionate about the heritage of the African Mask
He Uses arts and crafts to teach the Masterpieces of the Kuba heritage.

The most discernible elements of a Chokwe style of wooden mask carving have been well defined
In the wooden masks, the eyes are usually elliptical or almond-shaped and generally half-closed. The swollen eyelids are prolonged down to the center of the concave eye-sockets. Sometimes the eyes are globular and have horizontal slits. Occasionally the forehead has a carved head-band. The ears are nearly always curved or else semi-circular with the tragus shown. The traditional scarifications are usually engraved, cut away, incrusted or carved in relief. To this list of elements one may also add the sharply defined mouth, partially open, its protruding flattened lips and framing filed triangular teeth.

TheAfricanCollector considers the African Mask an important aspect of the Luba heritage.
He Uses The African Masks to teach about Luba People in Congo.

The Biombo live south of the inter-section of the Luala and Kasai rivers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Biombo masks are usually carved from wood and coloured with a red / orange dye.
The eyes are of a typical coffee bean shape.
The masks have surface decoration related to that of the Eastern Pende, notably surfaces with dark and whitetriangles, but the principal mask shapes show Kuba influence. The Biombo are, however, an entirely different group from the Kuba, with stylistic forms drawn from a variety of sources. The top of the mask often terminates in three short stubs. A triangular checkerboard design is used to decorate the eyebrows and the planes of the face. The three forms at the back of the head represent the Biombo hairstyle.Biombo masks were worn in circumcision rites.

Kifwebe masks were made for the Bwadi ya Kifwebe association, a type of policing society that provided a means of controlling social behavior and neutralizing disruptive elements within the group. These masks appeared at the installation and death of a chief, and at the initiation rites of young men as well as a wholerange of occasions that included punishments, warfare and public works. There is great variety and symbolism within the various Kifwebe masks.

Quick tips on How to tell an original African mask

Understanding how a mask is made and the purpose for which its used its used could help you spot a fakeor reproduced mask.
Signs of wear and tear inside and outside the mask could indicate usage and this is difficult to archive thisduring reproduction.The dancer is involved in vigorous activity which causes him to sweat leaving traces of body oil and salt from the sweat.The masks are usually held in place by strings, wear and tear at the point of contactcould indicate usage. The older the Mask the more likely the wear and tear, repairs could also hint towards theage of the mask.

An exception is the new authentic mask that has never been used. The mask is culturally authentic though it may be more difficult to establish its age. Knowing how it has been stored may be instrumental in this regard. The luck of vanish is common with all original masks. Many reproductions are usually varnished for home deco.
It is possible to age the mask or give a false impression of its age. With time wood looses water and becomesLighter. The mask could also be dipped in organic substances to alter its smell and look. A careful manipulation  of this process Could make the mask appear older.