Q: The seller bought this mask 20 years ago in Bali. But he doesn’t think it comes from there. Someone told him it was from Sulawesi and that it could have been made to celebrate dead people. It’s wood and 8″ x 5″ large with hair, cloth and a wood stopper attached to a cord. Do you have any idea of its true origin and age? Philip, 535
A: Just north of Bali are the much larger islands of Sulawesi and Borneo. Either is a possibility. This appears to be an ethnographic artifact worth learning more about. Start with the Dayak culture of Borneo’s interior. Let’s hope that someone recognizes this mask and will share their knowledge with the rest of us in the space below.
