Papua New Guinea, East Sepik Province, maker unknown, ca. 1940s. A large yena yam mask made from woven plant fibers, probably the roots of a mangrove tree, adorned with earth pigments of red and white hues. Size: 19-3/4" x 14" at widest point.

The Kwoma, Nukuma, and Yessan-Mayo are closely related peoples living in the hills north of the middle Sepik River in northern New Guinea. These peoples practice an art tradition connected to a religious cult centered on the cultivation of yams. They perform a sequence of three rituals ("yena," "minja," and "nokwi"); each involves a different type of figure and is performed to pay tribute to the yam harvest. With prominent eyes and noses, yena heads represent ancient and powerful spirits. During the ritual, village men assemble a pile of yams within the ceremonial house. The sticklike bases of the wooden variety of yena masks are inserted into the yam pile. The men then dance and sing to honor the yena spirits.

Provenance: Ex-Historia Antiques, James Caswell, Santa Monica, CA

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#110188

Intact with surface wear and minor paint loss.