Kwele - Bend the mask.

The Kwele people of the Democratic Republic of Congo (also known as "Bakwele") practiced a cult known as Beete (Bwete) to ward off the evil machinations of sorcerers, who were held responsible for illness, death, and other unexplained occurrences. The rituals involved various types of masks with anthropomorphic or zoomorphic features representing benevolent forest spirits. A few of these were painted white to symbolize clairvoyance and prudence, two essential factors in the fight against evil. Masks with a heart-shaped face were associated with this context. The heart-shaped frame would consist of highly stylized horns emerging from the top of the head and curving around the face, converging at the bottom. Although originally interpreted as rams, more recent research suggests that the horns on the masks actually referred to large antelopes or women's hairstyles with long braids of a type popular in Gabon in the nineteenth century. This mask is a type known as "Ekuk". It has a relatively flat surface and was usually hung on houses and rarely worn. Its function was to warm up the village atmosphere to activate the beneficial forces in the Bwete box. -Source: Stephan/Hahner -Bacquart