oceania | New Britain
Tolai Mask
New Britain
Gazelle Peninsula
Bismarck Archipelago
Carved wood, pigments, vegetal fiber
Mid 20th century
Height: 13 ¼ in. (34 cm)
Field-collected by Loed Van Bussel
Ex collection Jo de Buck, Brussels
Tolai Mask 34 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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