A WOGEO ISLAND MASK, lewa
A WOGEO ISLAND MASK, lewa

Details
A WOGEO ISLAND MASK, lewa
Of oval form, brow with median ridge, protruding pierced oval eyes, broad hooked nose with boar's tusk ornament in septum, small mouth, fiber frame
15¼in. (38.7cm.) high

Lot Essay

This type of bulbous mask is found on Wogeo and other islands of the Schouten chain as well as the adjacent coastal areas. Such masks were originally decorated with feathers and shells and were worn by a dancer wearing a long grass skirt to represent a spirit called tangbwal.