Sawos people, Middle Sepik, PNG

6 inches, wood, natural pigments

Some PNG masks are made only for display, most often in the men’s house, to attract powerful and useful spirits. They often refer to ancestor or clan spirits and those of certain animals. There are many different types of masks for different purposes in the Sepik River area of Papua New Guinea. Of course, this mask could also have been made for sale to tourists. The left eye is missing its shell insert.

$190