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Wonderful Sepik River PNG Mask browse these categories for related items... Directory: Antiques: Regional Art: Oceanic: Artifacts: Pre 1920: item # 725448 Please refer to our stock # REST08-.01 when inquiring.
Traders Of The Lost Art PO Box 12764 Lahaina, HI 96761 Guest Book $875 |
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| The Sepik River snakes in broad, meandering coils for over 650 miles (1,100 km) before emptying into the Bismark Sea. It is New Guinea's equivalent of the Amazon and the Congo rivers. There are mask-making villages all along the Sepik, but the middle river is the most densely populated with over 25 large villages of the Iatmul language group people between Moim and Pagwi. Tambanum is the largest, others include Timbunke, Angriman, Mindinbit, Kamanimbit, Kanganaman, Palimbei, Yentchan, Korogo and Kandingai. The men carve masks from soft wood, although some are made of clay over-modeled onto turtle or coconut shell. They mix paints from earth pigments and charcoal. The masks are decorated with shells, pig tusks, and cassowary feathers. Unlike this specimen, few masks are worn directly over the face, which explains the lack of holes for eyes on most. In fact, this mask is woven completely around the main portion and designed to completely cover the entire head. Most masks are fastened onto a large cone-shaped wicker framework for a dance costume called a tumbuan. Raffia is knotted into the bottom hoop for skirting and flowers, fruit and leaves added on for color and power at the time of the ceremony. Other masks, like this one, are made only for display, most often in the men's Haus, to attract powerful and useful spirits. This mask is most likely a hunting charm mask. Successful hunters are known for their elaborate hunting charm masks. Generally, the hunter spits red betel nut (buai) juice on them to increase his luck. He keeps them in the men's Haus Boi or at his home depending on the village. This impressive mask is tall, measuring roughly 27" from top to bottom. In wonderful shape, with a few nicks; but quite the head turner as displayed. | ||
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