Mwana Pwo (often shortened to Pwo) is the female ancestral mask-spirit of the Chokwe, an archetype of mature womanhood, beauty and fertility. The name means 'young woman' (mwana 'young one' + pwo 'woman'); used alone, Pwo can denote the mature woman or a founding female ancestor, while the fuller form mwana pwo, probably elaborated under later influence, emphasises youthful feminine beauty. The mask honours the founding female ancestors, a role of particular weight because the Chokwe reckon descent through the maternal line. It is always danced by a man disguised as a woman with a fibre wig, false breasts and a skirt, who performs graceful steps to present the ideal of feminine grace and to call down fertility and prosperity on the village. Mwana Pwo is the recognised feminine counterpart of the male wealth-spirit Cihongo.