New Guinea, Abelam, Baba mask
31 cm
A dancer wears the mask during an initiation ritual, his body is covered with sago leaves. The dancers are running through the village with spears to frighten the women and children, because they are not allowed to see the preparations of the ritual. During the initiation the dancers threaten the young boys who has to show their courage by scaring the baba dancers.
The Dutch writer/painter Jan Wolkers bought this mask in the seventies from Galerie Lemaire
sold