My partner, Troy, will be in Bolivia looking for masks in a few weeks. So I thought you might enjoy seeing a very nice example from Aaron’s collection. The character is called “Moreno” and he is paraded in the Senor del Gran Poder festival of the capitol, La Paz. Other cities in Bolivia have somewhat different celebrations, but they all use masks of incredibly fine workmanship, many of which are made of sheet metal like this one. Masquerade in Bolivia is as spectacular as those of the Lenten festivals in Bavaria, the dance dramas of Bali, Japanese Noh theater, and our own Northwest Coast Indians. Let’s all wish Troy well…
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New Tarahumara mask
Q: I have been hesitating about whether to buy these masks that are purportedly from the Tarahumaras. I have never seen anything like them before. They are 12-15 inches high. What do you think? Christophe, 1006 A: They are from the Tarahumara who live in the remote Copper Canyons of southwestern part of the state of Chihuahua in northwestern Mexico. These isolated Indians are the fastest long-distance runners in the world. The masks are new, but traditional in style. You can see one that is older and has a little color on page 115 of our book, Masks of the World, by Ibold & Yohn. B Save Save
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Repro of Guatemalan Jaguar mask
Q: Can you give me a little more information on the attached mask. Value, type, origins. Laurie, 1005 A: Jaguars are a character in several traditional dances performed by indigenous Guatemalans, who are decedents of the Maya. This example is well carved and nicely painted. However, it was made to be sold, either to tourists or exporters. This lowers the mask’s value. C+ The good news is that people with limited budgets can find excellent reproductions of traditional dance masks at tourist shops and on eBay, enabling them to assemble collections that are almost as beautiful as those in museums.
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West African mystery mask
Q: I have a large mask from up-country in the Ivory Coast. It was purchased in 2009 in the city of Man. I believe this is the original article and not a tourist “knock off”. I’m looking for more information as to origins and price. I’ll send you a side and a rear view soon. Dave, 1004 A: Yeah, it looks real to me as well. Since the Dan people are all around Man in the West of Ivory Coast, and since the culture occasionally uses large masks, let’s start with that possibility. Send more pics when you can. I hope someone who specializes in African material will help us…
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Euro-Mexican mask
Q: I purchased this mask about 10 years ago from an online auction where it was described as a Mexican “Ranchero” mask. Unfortunately, I don’t remember much more detail from the listing. I was hoping you, or someone who visits your site, might recognize this style of mask, and perhaps identify the region it came from. It’s certainly the work of a highly skilled craftsman. The wood is thick, but very light, and there are four heavy duty staples around the perimeter for straps. The inside is smooth and nicely contoured for comfort. I don’t think it was ever used, but it was definitely made to be worn. Dan, 1003…
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Bad guy from Bali
Q: All the art gallery told me when I bought it in 94 was that it was from Indonesia. I paid about $350 for it at that time. I know my melon of a head doesn’t fit in it, but a slightly smaller head would. Its made of wood, hand painted, with horse hair. That’s about all I know. It looks super cool, that’s for sure. It freaks most people out when they notice it on my wall. Chris, 1002 A: There are lots of masked characters in the Topeng saga, one of the famous dance dramas performed on the island of Bali. This is one of the bad guys.…
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Old Bolivian funeral mask
Q: I acquired this silver mask in Bolivia about 30 years ago at a price of ca $100. At the time I was told that it is a funeral mask worn by the living who attended a funeral. Size of the mask is 5,5 by 4,5 inches. Any information that you are able to provide will be greatly appreciated. Gideon, 1001 A: At that small size and without eye holes, this is not something to wear. It would appeal to tourists and some collectors. There is a similar, but larger, mask on page 158 of my new book, Masks of the World. It says “this Pre-Columbian mask is 8″ high…
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Himalayan mushroom mask
This is another one of Aaron’s acquisitions. It is a rare spiritual mask that has been made from a large, single Lingzhi fungus (Ganoderma Lucidum). The large, convex shape of the fungus can be carved to form a nose, ears, mouth and eyes of a round face. Sometimes a composite material is added for high areas. The result is quite powerful in a strange way. This one is rough and probably quite old. Bob, 1000 Please note the number of this post. There are 999 more in the archives. You can access any mask by picking the appropriate category on the right. Click on “India & Himalayas.” There is also…
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Attack of the powderpost beetles
You can see this same mask (before the beetles struck) on page 130 of the new book, Masks of the World, by Ibold and Yohn. It is a deer mask from Oaxaca, Mexico. This style of mask has been danced by villagers for well over a hundred years. This one is 13 inches high and made of wood, deer skin and horns. It was collected in the 1960’s. Recently after being stored in my basement, I noticed that the dreaded beetles had been doing their nasty work on this beautiful mask! The nose area was the most damaged. So after the beetles were killed I was forced to do some…
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Mudman mask from PNG
Q: Can you tell me where this pottery mask comes from and how old it is? Robert, 998 A: This is a mudman mask from the Asaro people of the Eastern highlands of Papua New Guinea. Made of clay, they were originally used to scare opposing warriors during an attack. Small ones like this are meant to be monkeys and today they are sold for profit to tourists. According to legend, an Asaro group were once driven into a swamp by an invading tribe. After plastering their heads with mud they launched a counterattack and frightened the enemy away. On pages 71 and 76 of Masks of the World by…
