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Narrative

The Butlers worked at Bunda College of Agriculture near Lilongwe, Malawi, in the 1970s. Robert Butler was invited to become a member of the Nyau secret society, and they were invited to Nyau (Gule Wamkulu) ceremonies and ritual dances (at a time when the dances were not yet performed for the public). The Butlers purchased the masks from members of the society during that time.

History Of Use

Mask worn by a male initiate in the Nyau secret society. This group of masks (3137/1-7) were used in dances that occurred after the crops were harvested (July or August). The masked men, who represented ancestral spirits or unique characters, danced to depict certain behaviours, or characteristics. The dancers also wore costumes made of grass, leaves and coloured cloth, and sometimes had white ash covering their arms and legs. They were accompanied by drumming, as well as the chanting, singing and clapping of some of the senior women.

Description

Mask made of carved wood, animal skin and cloth. The face is painted orange, and displays an open mouth, small nose with a curved bridge and flared nostrils, small eye holes bored through the wood and lined with fibres, wide fibre-covered brows, and large ears to the sides. A small tuft of hair is glued to the upper lip for a mustache and paper has been inserted into the mouth to create teeth behind the lower lip. The head is covered with a thick cotton fabric lined with burlap that covers the wearer’s head and neck. Large course stiches are incorporated, as well as a rope made of plant fibre and a piece of red and white cotton fabric. Parts b and c are pieces of hardened skin with long, light brown hair attached.