TSHOKWE, Democratic Republic of Congo. In the Tshokwe communities of the southern savannah region of Central Africa, ancestral spirits known as 'Makishi' return to this world as animated beings to instruct the living. During 'Mukanda' initiations for young men, the Makishi take the form of masks to pass on knowledge from generation to generation. This 'Pwo' mask, made of hardwood and lightly tinted red, depicts a serene female face, with well-defined superciliary arches, slit eyes and a fine, straight nose. Note the quality of the finely striped three-lobed hairstyle and the stylised 'Masoji' tears under the eyes, intended to express the grief of mothers when their boys become men through the 'mukanda'.