Old tribal ceremonial yams mask Abelam Wosera Sepik Papoea

Nice old tightly woven mask with remnant clay pigment. These masks were used to decorate yams in a ceremony unique to this area of Papua New Guinea.  Yam masks are common, but old authentic tightly woven used examples like this one are increasingly rare to find

Locality: Sepik province Papua New Guinea

Period: 1950's

Height: 19 cm

See also other advertisements: yams mask and ceremonial shield

Yam Masks or “Babamini”, are made by the Abelam people of Papua New Guinea. These masks are ancestral spirit images used to decorate, consecrate, and celebrate the ancestors at the yam harvest festival.
Ceremonial yams grow up to 12 feet long and are decorated with masks, flowers, fruit, and leaves to resemble men at the last stage of initiation. These yam ‘men’ are believed to be present as living beings capable of hearing and seeing. Men make these basketry masks and paint them with clay pigments and natural paints. The masks are carefully stored each year after the yam ceremonies then repainted and reused the next year