|
|
|
 |
|
Name |
PLANK MASK |
|
Background / Origin |
BWA, PLANK MASK Mali |
|
Description |
These tall head-dresses transform the dancer into a
supernatural being. Nwantantay or Plank Mask has the
shape of a tall towering panel, with a crescent perched
on the top and a flat round face at the base. It is worn
in front of the face, attached by a thick rope which the
dancer holds in his mouth. The Nwantantay represent
flying spirits from the bush. These spirits have no
natural shape and hence are portrayed in abstract
geometric form .The spirits embodied in the masks bless
the families that own the mask and dance it at festivals
The patterns on the mask have meanings known only to the
initiates. Outsiders understand a couple- The large Xs
refer to the scarification marks on the foreheads of
initiated men; the checkerboard represents separation
between good and evil; the large white crescent on the
top denotes the ‘moon of the masks’, the masks perform
when the moon shines Representing the life force of the
forest, plant life and fields. |
|
Reference Number |
66/603 |
|
Height |
-2020mm |
|
Price |
US$ 650 |
 
|
|
|
|
