oceania | New Britain
Tolai mask
New Britain
Lor mask
Bismark archipelago, Gazelle Peninsula, New Britain
20th century
Wood, pigments, fibers, feathers, teeth
Height: 52 cm – 20 ½ in.
Provenance
Collection Luk Linut
Collection Mia & Loed Van Bussel, Amsterdam
Collection Gary Hendershott, Dallas
Tolai mask 52 cm / Galerie FLAK
Price on request
As stated by the Metropolitan Museum of New York, these masks appearing to be smiling are known by variants of the name lor, which means skull in Tolai.
Tolai lor masks are worn by performers in a dance called tambaran kakao (spirit that crawls). The masks reportedly represent a spirit that comes to a local leader in dreams and reveals the details of dance paraphernalia and choreography.
Tolai lor masks are worn by performers in a dance called tambaran kakao (spirit that crawls). The masks reportedly represent a spirit that comes to a local leader in dreams and reveals the details of dance paraphernalia and choreography.
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