Mask Item Number: Eh36 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Mask depicting a humanoid male face that is pink overall with black hair and sideburns, think black eyebrows, bulging eyes rimmed with red and black that have a crescent-shaped slit under each, large ears that each have red and black curved lones, a slightly curved pointed nose with large nostrils, full red lips with the top lip bordered by a thin black line, and a proportionately small chin.
History Of Use
The Kolam is a secular entertainment with considerable elements of social satire. It incorporates narrative, mime, dance, and music. A Kolam performance usually has four episodes the precise content of which may vary. These consist of a prelude, detailing the origin of the drama; the arrival of a royal party and dances by characters mythical, human and animal; enactment of a popular story or stories; and a purifying demon dance. This mask represents Mundaliyav, a high government official, representative of the central authority and chief citizen of the village. He is the personification of pride, haughtiness, aloofness and the foolhardiness of the rural bureaucrat.
Cultural Context
exorcism
Iconographic Meaning
The delineation of sideburns symbolizes a high social position, and the conventional perfection and symmetry of the features symbolize youth.
Item History
- Made in Sri Lanka before 1978
- Collected during 1978
- Owned by Jason Schoonover before February 10, 1981
- Received from Museum of Anthropology Shop Volunteers (Funding source) and Jason Schoonover (Seller) on February 10, 1981
What
- Name
- Mask
- Identification Number
- Eh36
- Type of Item
- mask
- Material
- nux vomica wood ?, gesso, cotton fibre, metal and enamel paint
- Manufacturing Technique
- carved and painted
- Overall
- height 23.0 cm, width 23.6 cm, depth 15.5 cm
Who
- Culture
- Sinhalese
- Previous Owner
- Jason Schoonover
- Received from
- Museum of Anthropology Shop Volunteers (Funding source) and Jason Schoonover (Seller)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Sri Lanka
When
- Creation Date
- before 1978
- Collection Date
- during 1978
- Ownership Date
- before February 10, 1981
- Acquisition Date
- on February 10, 1981
Other
- Condition
- fair
- Current Location
- Case 106
- Accession Number
- 0704/0035