Q: I visited the Canaima area of Venezuela in March 1991 and not far from the airstrip I bought the attached mask in a small village. I was told it was a monkey spirit mask and was used for a ‘wedding type ceremony’ by the Pemon Indians. This was one of two masks (the other being a real monkey skull) made of reed covered in a plaster, straw hair and real monkey teeth.The mask looked used when purchased. Paul, 458
A: That is a handsome piece, and a bit different from the similarly constructed masks of the nearby Piaroa-Huarime people. Your Pemon mask’s well-sculpted monkey head is more realistic than anything I’ve seen from that part of the Venezuelan jungle. I would think anyone collecting the material culture of Amazon Indians would be very interested in this fine mask. Take a look at the animal spirit mask of the Piaroa-Huarime people on the So American section of MasksoftheWorld. A
4 Comments
Dawood Albannai
I believe that it is great to visit some jungles in Venezuela , I know that there are risks and a lot of dangers , but your adventurous souls is enough. that handsome monkey piece is wonderful , Bob keep doing these great risky trips and I will wish to you a good luck .
James Goodreau
What a great website. Each time I visit I’m thankful that someone cares as much about Masks as you do. Yes you sell them, however, the Photo inquires and yours, and others comments are great. I have a few masks mostly Mexican.
Again thank you
James
Quartz
It is a very unusual Piaroa mask.
I am a collector of Piaroa mask that I want to donate to an Italian ethnographic museum.
Have you any interest in selling it?
Thanks in advance
Alberto
Quartz
Coming from Canaima region, more probably it is a Pemona mask as you say.