The mask, with its bulging forehead, is thought to represent Woot’s evil brother, Bwoom, in a ritual reenactment of Kuba mythological origins and royal power struggles. This helmet-type mask represents an ancient category of masks. Tradition states that the first of its kind was made by the artist Shamatula under the Nyimi (king) Bo Kena, the 73rd king who ruled sometime in the mid 1300s. Tattoo marks, embellished with brass, cowrie shells and rows of beads on the nose are typical of this style. Though seeking both the throne of his brother, Woot, and the king's wife, Bwoom nevertheless symbolically speaks for the common man.