This is a beautiful old small woven Yam Mask from the Abelam Tribe of Wosera area of Papua New Guinea. One of the major focuses of ceremonial life among the Abelam people is the competitive growth and exchange of long yams. Men weave the yam masks with human and animal characteristics and then typically cover them with clay pigment and dyes. A masterful weaver will produce a mask that is tightly woven, clear in form and idea and that has a visual presence that easily conveys the spirit of the ancestor. The application of paint animates the finished mask; paint is the trans-formative ingredient that changes the status of the mask from an inanimate thing to living spirit.

Measures: 13 h x 10 w x 8.5 d