Bureru Spirit Mask Item Number: 2814/13 a-c from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Long tubular mask made of balsa wood. Mask is a long hollow cylinder (part a) with ears or wings (parts b & c) protruding from holes at its sides. It is is decorated with black and brown geometric patterns composed of triangles, squares and circles. The face is a yellow circle with oval eyes, a rectangular nose, triangle mouth and squared cheeks. The ears are decorated with a starburst design on one side, and on the other side a curved X design with a circle in the centre.

Iconographic Meaning

Represents the bureru spirit (a wader bird living on the shores of the Apaporis river).