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Narrative

Collected in Papua New Guinea by Caroline Yacoe; later sold to the museum from her gallery in Hawaii.

Specific Techniques

The red colouring was once made with blood from the tongue, but is now store-bought. Black is made from ashes and soot from cooking fires.

Iconographic Meaning

Red represents male qualities connected to life and warfare. The black represents the darker places of spirits. White symbolizes the spirit world.

History Of Use

Fire dance mask used exclusively in the night dance, a nocturnal performance lit by firelight, dedicated to spirits, animals, and commodities associated with the surrounding forest. The fire dance also serves as an initiation ritual between three male age-initiation tiers: the children begin by creating small lingan headdresses; young men create the kavat (like this mask); whereas older skilled men create the vungvung.

Description

Large three-headed bark cloth dance mask. Central head extends from dome-shaped headpiece. Identical smaller heads jut out from either side of its neck. They all have large semi-circular foreheads, wide round eyes, long straight faces, and thin protruding lips. Mouths are open and have large curved circles attached underneath. Entire mask surface is painted white with stylized triangular and circular motifs done overtop in black and red. Black rectangular panels painted across backs of heads and across headpiece. Panels are filled with triangular, linear and floral motifs. Mask frame made out of bamboo rods, bent and tied together.