Mwene Chinonge was collected in a place called Kapenda in the area of Ngalange in Huíla province, in the westernmost Ngangela-speaking area. The mask might represent a powerful Ngangela chief who died long ago, although the meaning of mwene (chief, king, headman) covers the entire hierarchy of traditional authority. The word chinonge (pl. vinonge) in Nkhangala refers either to a species of grass, a red kidney bean or a lioness.