Minneapolis Institute of Art

Mask

Papua New Guinea

Date

1920s–30s

Medium

Wood, pigments, plant fibers

Department

Arts of Oceania

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

This mask, with its deep set eyes and strong, hooked nose, is the embodiment of an ancestor spirit from Manam Island, located at the mouth of the Ramu River just off the northern coast of New Guinea. It used to be adorned with shell jewelry in its pierced ears and nose, demonstrating respect for the ancestor. Worn as part of a larger fiber costume, the mask was held in front of the face with a bite stick, still present on this example, which was clamped in the wearer's teeth. Papua New Guinea, Oceania

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