Gungu

Gungu, in Kwilu province, holds a festival associated with the Pende mask tradition, in which masks that belong to initiation and to specific social roles are danced in public over several days. Pende masking is one of the best documented traditions in central Africa, with distinct types - mbuya village masks, the chief's masks, the mask of the sick man - each with its own movement vocabulary. The festival has run intermittently since the 1970s, and dates and scale vary from year to year.

What you actually see

• The mbuya masks - village character masks danced with their own distinct movements.
• The dancing - performances over several days, with drumming and the whole town attending.
• The costume - full raffia and cloth costumes rather than masks alone.
• The craft - carvers and costume makers working in the town around the festival.

When to go

The festival is generally held in the middle of the year, often July or August, but the dates move and it has not run in every year. Confirming locally well before travelling is essential. The dry season is also the practical time for the roads.

Honest expectations

The festival has been intermittent and has been cancelled or reduced in several years, so travelling on the assumption it will happen is unwise. Masks here carry meaning within initiation systems and photography is not always welcome; ask. Roads into Kwilu are poor and facilities in Gungu are minimal.

Nearby

Kikwit is the nearest city of any size, on the Kinshasa road.