Papua New Guinea Gable Mask Woven Rattan Kangingara Village Black Water Lakes

This wonderful Basketry Gable Mask is from the Black Water Lakes, Kangingara Village, South of the Sepik River in Papua New Guinea. The large community men's house was the central focus of ritual and everyday life for most males of the Sepik River from middle youth to adulthood. Men slept there, lounged there, solved life's and the village's problems there, made objects both practical and sacred, and practiced there the often complex cyclical rituals that kept the world and their lives in order.

These masks whether very large or medium size aided in their becoming an overpowering physical manifestation of male potency and prestige. From the central of the front facade, the gable mask, conceived as an magical protector, and looked down menacingly on all who came within a certain distance of the men's house. The masks in most cases probably represented the great clan mother, and in some areas the entire men's house was understood as the clan spirit's body, so that when inside the male residents were acting within the great mother's energizing womb.

This is a wonderful and powerful woven Gable Mask and it plays a significant role in the lives of men. It was collected in the field and show some age. A great addition to any collection. 31" long 16" wide 4 1/2 deep AT BACARA WE STAND BEHIND ALL OF OUR MERCHANDISE.

YOUR SATISFACTION IS OUR MAIN GOAL, AND WE THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING AT THE WORLD OF BACARA. This item is in the category "Antiques\Ethnographic\Pacific Islands & Oceania". The seller is "bacara-online" and is located in this country: US. This item can be shipped worldwide.

Style: Pacific Islands & Oceania
Color: Multi-Color
Material: Raffia Reeds Pigment
Original/Reproduction: Original