South America

A very toothy grin

Ecuadorian Indian
Ecuadorian Indian

Q:  Appreciate your opinion. Would this mask be Tlingit?  Jack, 668

A:  No. But it’s at least from the same hemisphere– the Andes Mountains of Ecuador. The indigenous people of the highlands carve masks of people, animals and spirits for village celebrations. This one appeals to me because of its surprising color combinations and naivete. Look at all those teeth! This could have been made for use rather than for sale to tourists, but I can’t be sure. B+

One Comment

  • Alena Cieszko

    It resembles three or four of the ones brought back to WKU from the central market in Quito, Ecuador, both in eye shape and painting style.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

I accept the Privacy Policy