TWO WOVEN SHELL MASKS, Malala region, Madang, PNG

Chris Boylan Oceanic Art

TWO WOVEN SHELL MASKS, Malala Coast, Madang, PNG

Masks of woven hand-made fibre with nassa shells stiched on to cover the mask, are found only in a handfull of villages in the Malala region on the north coast of papua New Guinea. They are called dema and bilibil in the two language groups that make and use them. These same groups do not make wooden masks, which are typical of all the surrounding villages. They are connected to sea spirits.

a) 23 x 22 x 13cm     $2800

b) 21 x 23 x 12cm     $2700

$2,800.00

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