Bull Headdress Item Number: 2736/4 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Bull headdress consisting of curved crown-like wood head piece with carved bull head facing forward from top and long strands of darker and lighter dried grass and red ribbons hanging down in two thick bunches from grass pompoms at the base of the wood. Long, squared rods, with circular tips and hanging red ribbons, project up from the bottom sides of the headpiece. Carved and painted designs in white, red and black decorate the wood on both sides and a piece of rope is knotted through a hole below the bull head..
History Of Use
Bijogo society is stratified into seven age grades, at least four of which are associated with specific masquerades. These crested head pieces, sometimes including the head of a long-horned bush cow or the snout of a hammer-head shark in their centre, are worn by young boys in the first and second age grades, gn’opara. Only by completing the full cycle of initiation are deceased adults able to avoid becoming wandering spirits and unify themselves with the creator deity, Nindut.
Item History
- Made in Bissagos Islands, Guinea-Bissau
- Owned by Art Africa before April 20, 2009
- Received from Art Africa (Seller) and U.B.C. Office of the Provost (Funding source) on April 20, 2009
What
- Name
- Bull Headdress
- Identification Number
- 2736/4
- Type of Item
- headdress
- Material
- wood, paint, sisal fibre, cotton fibre and plastic
- Overall
- height 94.0 cm, width 60.0 cm, depth 13.0 cm
Who
- Culture
- Bijogo
- Previous Owner
- Art Africa
- Received from
- Art Africa (Seller) and U.B.C. Office of the Provost (Funding source)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Bissagos Islands, Guinea-Bissau
When
- Ownership Date
- before April 20, 2009
- Acquisition Date
- on April 20, 2009
Other
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 2736/0004