helmet mask; anthropomorphic wood mask; open lips w/ red pigment on lower lip; metal stud through left nostril; whitened teeth and eyes; yellow ground; black human hair on head; head ornament of whitened carved wood w/ floral motif; split and repaired on lower right; h. 22.5 cm.
Donor:
John T. Schneider, Mrs. John T. Schneider, and University Appropriation
Collection place:
Mozambique
Verbatim coll. place:
Southeast Africa, Mozambique, Makonde
Culture or time period:
Makonde
Collector:
John T. Schneider and Mrs. John T. Schneider
Collection date:
September 1975
Materials:
Human hair and Wood (plant material)
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Masks (costume)
Function:
5.3 Objects relating to the Secular and Quasi-religious Rites, Pageants, and Drama
Context of use:
Female Mapiko helmet mask. Used in the initiation ceremonies of Makonde. Carved of loghtweight wood, hollowed out. Worn on top of head with "rest of body covered." In Moz. they are usually ochre colored, with or without typical lip plug. Nose button shows influence of India. When masks are tattooed, done with burned lines or typical geometric patterns made with insect wax (black)
Department:
Africa (except Ancient Egypt)
Dimensions:
height 22.5 centimeters
Comment:
label inside mask
Loans:
S1975-1976 #7: University Art Museum (UC Berkeley) (August 21, 1975–November 20, 1975)