Mask

Item number 2960/17 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

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Description

Carved wooden mask with a long, rectangular face and a rounded snout. The open mouth has several long sharp wooden teeth (holes in the upper and lower jaws indicate several teeth may be missing). From a concave upper lip protrudes a large rectangular nose with a small piece of rust coloured fabric tied through a hole in the tip. Large eyes are bored through the wood on either side of the nose and beneath a large bulging forehead decorated with lines and criss-crosses. On the crown of the head is a wooden outcropping, laying between two large mule-like ears standing straight up, each with many small holes on the inward side, regularly placed. The inside of the mask is hollowed out with string holes on either side.

History Of Use

Hyena mask used by the Kore; an initiation society for young boys that seeks to establish proper behavior by challenging immoral authority. After going through a series of mental and physical challenges, the newly born men wear masks such as this, acting like the animal they portray. Hyena masks are worn in performances that illustrate what improper behavior looks like in order to mock such actions and promote certain social values. These acts can range from stealing to destroying crops. Typically worn on top of the head, instead of covering the face, the mask allows for the blending of the hyena and human characters; it represents the wildness of the hyena being overcome by the knowledge of the human.