Title:
Punu Mask
Object Name:
Mask, Dance, Ritual
Other Name:
Mask, Punu
Place of Origin:
Punu, Gabon, Africa
Provenance:
Aboriginal Indigenous Art.
Punu masks represent idealized female ancestors' faces. The white color of the mask is genderless; white is a symbol for peace, deities, spirits of the dead, and the afterlife. It is thus the predominating color in funeral celebrations and memorials. Therefore the masks were worn during funerals. They appeared also in the magical rites whose function was to unmask sorcerers. The masks have realistic, mostly white but sometimes black faces with protruding pursed lips, globular protruding eyes incised with a curve, high—domed foreheads, and characteristic rigid high coiffures reflecting the Punu women's hair styles. The masks often have an Oriental expression, but no such influence has been established. Many Punu masks can be recognized by raised diamond—shape scarification marks on the foreheads and temples. The scarification marks on the temples are thought to be associated either with a female ancestor, or with a southern sub—group of the Punu tribe. Black face—masks have exactly the same stylistic characteristics as the white masks, but they are believed to have a judiciary function and help identify sorcerers. The performances of the masks are nowadays intended primarily to entertain audiences on festive occasions. Only rarely do the masqueraders fulfill a ritual function of officiating at funerals, when they dance as embodiments of the ancestor spirits. In performances the dancers, wearing costumes of raffia or cotton fabric and animal pelts, move with amazing acrobatic agility on stilts up to six and a half feet in height.
Punu masks represent idealized female ancestors' faces. The white color of the mask is genderless; white is a symbol for peace, deities, spirits of the dead, and the afterlife. It is thus the predominating color in funeral celebrations and memorials. Therefore the masks were worn during funerals. They appeared also in the magical rites whose function was to unmask sorcerers. The masks have realistic, mostly white but sometimes black faces with protruding pursed lips, globular protruding eyes incised with a curve, high—domed foreheads, and characteristic rigid high coiffures reflecting the Punu women's hair styles. The masks often have an Oriental expression, but no such influence has been established. Many Punu masks can be recognized by raised diamond—shape scarification marks on the foreheads and temples. The scarification marks on the temples are thought to be associated either with a female ancestor, or with a southern sub—group of the Punu tribe. Black face—masks have exactly the same stylistic characteristics as the white masks, but they are believed to have a judiciary function and help identify sorcerers. The performances of the masks are nowadays intended primarily to entertain audiences on festive occasions. Only rarely do the masqueraders fulfill a ritual function of officiating at funerals, when they dance as embodiments of the ancestor spirits. In performances the dancers, wearing costumes of raffia or cotton fabric and animal pelts, move with amazing acrobatic agility on stilts up to six and a half feet in height.
Description:
Egg—shaped wooden face, with small crescent—shaped eyebrows, small crescent—shaped ears and pierced slit crescent—shaped eyes, in circular orbits. Wedge—shaped nose, large full dark brown lips. Large, dark brown, three part coiffure, coming to a large central point in top center of head. Criss—cross scarification in center of forehead. Brown, black and white pigments cover entire mask.
Collection:
Guy Mace Collection, (Turblex Company)
Material:
Wood W/Pigments
Used:
Ritually Used
Technique:
Carving / Painting
Owned:
Art Department, MSSU
Accession#:
2015.2.61
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Front View
Front View - 2
Right Side View
Left Side View
Rear View
Front View
Front View - 2
Right Side View
Left Side View
Rear View