Dance mask

Standort

The dancers at malagan death rituals, during which both creator spirits and ancestors came back to life for a short period of time, wore colourful mask costumes. The human features of the masks imaginatively blended with representations of birds, fish, pigs, and reptiles. Their eyes with snail shell inlays allow the carved masks to appear almost alive. The caterpillar-like hairstyle of these tatanua masks is reminiscent of the hair of close relatives during the months of mourning.

Object data

Inv. No.

69209

Object Name

Dance mask

Collection

H. I. Parkinson

Dated

1902

Accession Date

1902

Material

Wood, rotang, pigment, turbo snail operculum, plant fibres, cotton cloth

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