Old NEW GUINEA Abelam Coiled Cane Yam HELMUT MASK Early 20th Century Painted - $2,000 - (Arvada, CO)
New Guinea Abelam Coiled Cane Yam Helmut Mask. This is an older yam mask and dates from earlier part of the 20th century. The mask is tightly constructed and painted with layers of pigments. 17” height x 10” dia x 12” depth. Displayed in adult home, perfect condition. Please email with any questions. Will ship one day after paypal payment is made. Please check out our other listings. Thanks for looking! Basket yam masks are woven by the men in New Guinea. They take blades of large grass, and using their teeth, strip out the center. The pliable outer edges are then used as weft to cover the foundation coils of the mask and very complex 3-dimensional and filigreed shapes are formed. Most masks are painted with local clay pigments and natural dyes, although trade store enamel or acrylic paints, especially red, are occasionally used. These masks are used to cover long yams in a ceremony showing the men's gardening prowess. This ceremony is of the utmost importance in the culture of New Guinea. The Abelam believe only men can grow long yams. Their success is dependent not only on hard work, but complete abstinence from contact with women during the six month growing period, and the spiritual assistance from ancestors. A fine yam is named for the ancestral spirit and that spirit is brought into being by a mask and decoration such as this one. After a ceremony, the masks are hung up in the eaves of the house where soot from smoking fires blackens them. Before using them again, the men clean and repaint the masks with new, powerful color. Ironically, the Western market prefers the soot-colored "older" look as more authentic. A really old mask, such as this one, will have remnant layers of previous painting built up on it.
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From ebay.com - 1 month ago