|
Clan mask (ligale board) Gogodala people, Aramia and Fly Rivers area, PNG 27 inches, painted wood with a rattan binding The wooden board is thin and flat, whereas the animal head is 3-dimensional. The ligale is more like a plaque and is not strictly speaking an ancestor mask. It is a clan mask and the animal head may represent an ancestor. With a bold style that is distinctly their own, the traditional art of the Gogodala is quite rare today. The culture of the Gogodala was completely destroyed by missionaries in the early 1950’s or late 1940’s. All art was destroyed and all rituals were banned. In the early 1970’s Tony Crawford helped the people revive their culture using old photos of artifacts and by interviewing the handful of old men who were still alive who had been through the initiation ceremonies. Much has surely been lost but the people have been able to bring some of their culture back. $550
Home
- About Us - Book Offer
- Collecting Tips - FAQ |
