Yam Mask

Item number 3459/4 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

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Description

Wooden, oval-shaped plaque-like mask. Square hole carved at the bottom and wing-like attachments are on either side, tied to the main body with roots(?). Attachments painted black, on both sides, with crosshatching designs overtop. Primarily done in white with red strokes throughout. Main body painted red-orange, on both sides, with rows of design overtop. Rows have large white “X”’s with thin black ovals in between. Centres of X’s are painted red-orange. Plain black bands between rows, trimmed in white. On the front, the centre oval in the top row has a white chevron border. Above the oval is a sculpted head. Cheeks of face are unpainted, the nose is red, and there is a large black beard covering the bottom portion of the face. It has one thick black eyebrow with two small white eyes underneath. Figure is wearing a headdress(?). Headdress has a red cap with an upside down white triangle in its centre. Headdress extends into a large black circle with white stripes. Area around square hole, on both sides, is unpainted.

History Of Use

Normally used as a mask for a large yam. Ancestral spirit images are used to decorate, consecrate and celebrate the ancestors during the Yam Festival (Harvest).