Nine long years have passed since the time when a group of Kogui people, one of the world’s most isolated tribes, made an arduous journey to confront their past, locked away within the imposing walls of the Ethnological Museum of Berlin Dahlem. These delegates of a culture untouched by time stood before their sacred masks, the ‘Kágaba,’ entombed in concrete. A plea for their return has been echoing since then, reverberating through the empty museum halls. Handcrafted in the mysterious era of pre-Columbian times, the ‘Kágaba’ are not mere masks. They are the ancestral spirits of the Kogui people, integral to their sacred rituals and ceremonies. According to the Kogui’s…

Greetings, dear readers! Today we embark on a journey that is equal parts historical, cultural, and a smidge whimsical. We’re pulling back the veil on the dramatic (and often unexpected) history of the mask. 40,000 B.C. – Prehistoric Self-Expression Our time-traveling tale commences in prehistoric times. Imagine, if you will, the first mask-wearing figures etched out in cave paintings. These early mask connoisseurs used them for ceremonial or ritualistic purposes. The Stone Age fashion was, apparently, very avant-garde!   3,000 B.C. – Golden Elegance of Ancient Egypt Next, we pop over to ancient Egypt, where masks served a dual purpose in religious ceremonies and death rituals. The iconic golden mask…

As humans, we’re hardwired to look for faces. From the moment we’re born, we seek out eyes, noses, and smiles. So, what happens when that familiar face is hidden behind a mask? For some, it stirs up fear and suspicion, transforming an innocent piece of material into an emblem of evil. But why is this? Firstly, we can’t ignore the influence of our cultural and religious beliefs. Throughout history, various societies have employed masks to depict spirits or entities that are often seen as malevolent. This archaic perspective has woven its way into our collective consciousness, embedding the idea that masks can be evil. Next, we turn to the world…

We humans are a curious bunch, aren’t we? We’re the only species that collects things for fun. You don’t see squirrels hoarding nuts because they have a limited edition pine nut from the rare Pyrenean pine tree. So, what’s the deal? Why are we so obsessed with gathering stuff? Let’s dive into the complex psychological reasons behind this fascinating behavior. Control and Ownership: Our Personal Mini-Universes: A primary factor that motivates people to collect is the desire for control and ownership. Collecting allows individuals to impose order on a chaotic world, categorizing and organizing items into a defined set. A collection becomes a personal domain where the collector has ultimate…