230816 - Large AFRICAN Punu shield - Gabon.

LARGE African Punu shield, Nigeria.

Hand carved from a single piece of wood. 

Height: 86 cm.

A Punu shield is a tribal shield native to the Ogooué River basin in Gabon, especially in the south in Ngounié Province. The masks are extremely valuable to collectors of African art.

The Punu tribe of Gabon have been making these shields for many generations, they were originally used as means of defense, as well as decorative and ritual objects.

Large Very interesting and unusual african Punu shield, Gabon. This finely crafted shield depicts female face. Hand carved from a single piece of colorful painted wood, with scar tattoos and artful hairdo.Height: 53 cm. Th e Punu reside on the left bank of the Upper Ngoume River (Gabon) and belong to the group of tribes known as Shira which were originally part of the Luango kingdom of Angola. With the Eshira, the Lumbo, the Vili, the Galoa, and the Vungu people, the Punu migrated northwards during the 18th century and settled in the area where they continue to inhabit to this day. They live in independent villages divided into clans and families, and social cohesion is ensured by a society known as moukouji . Its primary role is to regulate community life with regards to social and judicial matters, and mainly it applies itself to the neutralization of evil forces. To this end, officiates of moukoudji utilize a cult kit that includes statuettes, human relics and masks.