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N-kisyan-khanda (initiation headdress)

19th–20th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 344
The dancing of masks wreathed in raffia celebrated the end of nkanda, a months-long initiation course marking a boy’s transition to manhood. This new life stage presented several unknowns, including sexual contact with women and the possibility of infertility. In consultation with a sculptor, each boy created a headdress as a protective charm to shield him through this transitory period. The imagery emphasized the differences between men and women. The animal-human hybrid that crowns this mask may have alluded to mythical narratives of male leaders who could transform themselves into animals at night. Initiates typically served as supporting characters to the performance of a n’langala, a senior nkanda member. He wore a kholuka mask depicting overtly sexual scenes of copulation and masturbation.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: N-kisyan-khanda (initiation headdress)
  • Artist: Yaka artist and nkanda initiate
  • Date: 19th–20th century
  • Geography: Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Culture: Yaka peoples
  • Medium: Wood, cane, raffia, pigment
  • Dimensions: H. 17 in. × W. 23 1/8 in. × D. 19 3/4 in. (43.2 × 58.7 × 50.2 cm)
  • Classification: Wood-Sculpture
  • Credit Line: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979
  • Object Number: 1979.206.235
  • Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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