Mask Item Number: Sh2 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Light wood piece with centre hollowed out. All features of face are pronounced: red lower lip protrudes further than black upper lip around perforated mouth slit; yellow lime covers large geometric nose, softened cheekbones and chin; recessed eye sockets have protruding white eyelids around lozenge-shaped eye perforations. Eyebrows are black arcs. One perforated hole on either temple with knotted twine; the hole on the left with length of twisted wire. Knotted tag attached to hole on the right and three stamps on inside of mask.

History Of Use

Worn at the maize harvest festival.

Iconographic Meaning

This mask represents the spirit of an old man.

Narrative

Alan Sawyer note: collected between 1938 adn 1949 by Dr. Enrique Palavencino and Dr. Maria Delia Millan de Palavencino.