Papua new Guinea Kaningara Village Sepik Initation Mask

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Papua new Guinea Kaningara Village Sepik Initation Mask:
$320.00

This is an old beautifully carved and painted Spirit Mask from the Kaningara Village in the Sepik Region of Papua new Guinea. The Kaningara people live in a secluded jungle, a community of hunters and gatherers who regularly celebrate traditions and rituals that are crucial to their identities. One of these extremely important practices, which marks the transition from boyhood to manhood, is the tradition of skin cutting, or scarification. The Kaningara boys who undergo the ritual can be anywhere from 12-35 years of age. This is an expensive ritual symbolizing strength and survival, which takes families a long time to save money for. These rituals symbolize the expelling of the child at birth. This is why there are hundreds of small cuts made in the torso area, to expel blood from the mother and to allow the crocodile spirits of manhood to enter the male body. This symbolizes the divorce of young men from their mothers, and it prepares them for a symbolic transition into being “as strong as the crocodiles of the Sepik.” The men should remain in their Spirit House for a major part of the day after the initiation rituals have taken place, to bond with other men, and prepare for raids against other tribes. This mask was collected in the field and shows signs of age and some discoloration. A fabulous mask that would compliment your home or your collection.38\" tall
10\" wide
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