Vintage Dyak Ancestor Mask Museum Stand, Kalimantan (1300BMK) $675

Description

The religion of the ethnic Dayak (Dyak) people of Kalimantan (Borneo), Indonesia is a mix of animism, shamanism and ancestor worship. Their word hudoq describes three different things: it describes the pests that can destroy the rice harvest on which their survival depends; the name of the huge yearly Dyak planting celebration and  the name for Dayak ethnic and folk-art masks. Their carvings of both statues and masks are also offerings to ancestors, gods and spirits, including the rice spirits that protect the crops. A piece of tribal art worn at births, deaths and important ceremonies like the agricultural festival, a hudoq mask protects the living, wards off evil spirits from villages and are offerings made to attract attract protective gods, ancestors and spirits to aid them and insure the growth of the rice crop. Protective masks or images like this vintage one were placed on doors and walls, beadwork designs on baby carriers, sewn on clothing to protect family members and also guard the graves of the dead whose souls are honored. Rather than more traditional tribal-art masks, this borrows from Javanese mask traditions with small eyes, straight instead of a triangular or bulbous nose, small ears, a tiny mouth without scary teeth and it is made from a single piece of wood. It is in very good condition with a nice patina, surface scratches and pigment losses consistent with its age and use. It is part of the VA Tribal Art Collection.

Click here for the blog Indonesian Dance Masks (Topeng): Spiritually Connecting the Community