Although red and black feature prominently in the composition of this striking owl mask, it is considered by Luba to be white. White befits a healing spirit as it is linked conceptually with purity, harmony, justice, happiness, and success, as well as symbolically with the regenerative light of a new moon, the fertility of sperm, and the nurturing of mother’s milk. By contrast, black is associated with darkness, smoke, clouds, death and anti-social behavior, and red with blood, fire, courage, power, and wealth. The use of red and black accents in this work of art served to harness their power in order to combat negative forces. That this kifwebe represents an owl distinguishes it within the corpus of Luba white masks, for only five or six such masks have been documented.