Dance Mask (Kavat)
ClassificationsClothing and Adornments-masks
Culture
Baining
Datelate 20th Century
Made AtEast New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea
MediumBark cloth, bamboo cane, pigment, raffia and feather
Dimensions51 × 29 3/4 × 30 in. (129.5 × 75.6 × 76.2 cm)
Credit LineGift of Anne and Long Shung Shih
Object number2018.13.43
DescriptionFire Dance masks are traditionally worn by men who, wearing leaves and penis sheaths dance around and through fire. This dance is traditionally associated with hunting, male spirits, and more recently, initiation to male adulthood and death. It is a dance regularly performed for tourists. The mask resembles duck's features; its lips are flat and pucker out. Its eyes are wide and face forward. There are geometric patterns in red and black between the eyes, on forehead and along the rear top of the helmet. There are also painted circles and a bamboo frame forming wide round eyes. The red and black pigment symbolizes female (black) and male (red).On View
Not on view
