Papua New Guinea Masks

Masks represent the spirit world and are to be distinguished from the painted face, which represents aspects of humanity and attests to the triumphs of the individual and the clan. Highland masks are relatively simple in form and are generally worn on the face.

In Papua New Guinea six metre-high totem masks are placed to protect the living from spirits; whereas the duk-duk and tubuan masks of New Guinea are used to enforce social codes by intimidation. They are conical masks, made from cane and leaves.

The Chambri Lake masks feature-elongated designs with incised brown and white patterns finished in glossy black.

At Koroga the masks are made from wood and clay decorated with shells, hair and pig’s teeth. Murik Lake masks are almost Mrican in appearance, and in Maprik they are woven from cane or rattan

Buk-Buk Chambri Lake Mask

Mai (or mwai) masks

Mai (or mwai) masks, represented as pairs of mythical brothers and sisters, are the teachers in the young men's initiation ceremonies. Mai masks represent the spirits of totemic names.

Names are very sacred in PNG, no one actually says anyone's real name, including their own, for fear of drawing the attention of bad spirits or sorcerers.

During initiations, the elder who wears the mai mask becomes a spirit teacher who may say the important totemic names without evoking personal risk.

Mai (or Mwai) Masks

Tumbuna mask

Tumbuna mask with savi eyes, (center) a sevi mask with crocodile tongue and (right) a composite mask in Wombom style painted by a Tambanum.

A tumbuna mask represents an actual, often recent, ancestor. This Mindinbit tumbuna has savi style eyes, so the ancestor must have been considered a powerful person.

If a village or clan has a lot of bad luck, such as many deaths, the whole group may change their names and buy the rights to use masks from another clan in different village in an attempt to fool the bad spirits or sorcerers.

Tumbuna Mask

Hunting charm mask

Turtle masks represents hunting spirits. A man wants a lot of them around before he goes hunting. The hunter spits red betel nut (buai) juice on them to increase his luck. He keeps them in the men's Haus Boi or at his home depending on the village.

Hunting mask

"Dream" mask

This is a contemporary "dream" mask from Tambanum's saun clan. The story is that a man recently dreamed this mask and until he carved it, its spirit constantly pursued him and made him do "all kinds of bad things" like sleep with his neighbor's wife, kick another man in an argument and so on. All of which were conveniently blamed on the pursuing spirit

Dream Mask

Ancestral Masks

These represent specific ancestors and bring the spirits of the deceased among the clan.

Those spirits then share with the living the positive attributes they possessed during their natural lives.

 Masks, as well as wood snakes used in sorcery and other such objects, often bristled with spike forms, which are a common motif

Ancestral Mask

Dance Masks

To evoke the power of certain spirits, ritualistic dances complete with costumes and songs are performed with these masks.

Such ceremonies are undertaken to ensure successful hunting and war parties, to bring bountiful harvests and for many other reasons.

Dance Mask

Canoe Prow Masks

Shields fashioned from large pieces of bark and tied to cane frames are fixed to the prows of dugout canoes for protection against spears and arrows.

As an added measure of protection against supernatural forces sent in advance of enemy war parties these masks are fastened to the shields.

The spirits of ancestors who were great warriors are believed to inhabit these masks.

Canoe Prow Mask

Ceremonial Shields

These striking, boldly colored shields are never taken into battle but are displayed prominently inside the dwelling to ward off marauding spirits from enemy villages.

While they may incorporate similar themes, no two of these beautiful carvings are alike.

Ceremonial Mask

Trophy Heads

In the past a freshly procured human head was buried under each post when a Haus Tambaran was erected.

These structures have to be replaced frequently after destruction by fire and termites and they often contain a great number of posts, so many heads were required.

Nowadays headhunting raids are frowned upon by government authorities and missionaries alike so substitute heads are carved of wood.

Trophy Heads

Storyboard

Developed among artists in the Lower Sepik village of Kambot.

These intricate carvings combine the traditional art form of the beautiful but ephemeral bark paintings with the much more durable medium of wood. They depict scenes from village life, often humorous.

Unlike the older forms of carving they are only decorative and appear to have no special religious significance .

Storyboard