Puberty Mask
Brazilian puberty mask from the rio Negro region. Made of bark cloth and resin
- Object: Puberty Mask
- Artist: -
- Circa: 1920s
- Dimensions: -
- Culture Area: South America / Brazil
- Cultural Group: -
- Cultural Context: The passage from childhood to adulthood is an event which has been celebrated in ritual and ceremony the world over. Although they may differ in form and function, the majority of cultures usually have some kind of formalized tradition regarding this important event and the tribes of the Amazon are no exception. For many in the Rio Negro basin, puberty masks like this formed the foundation for much of the symbology presented in their rites, representing spirits, ancestors, deities, and heroes of old. The most famous of these rituals is known as the Hain ceremony, which is practiced by the men and women of the Selk’Nam peoples. Wearing masks such as these, the Hain included men fully nude and painted, displaying the terrifying visage of spirits like Hallahache and Xalpen, both key figures in the Selk’Nam creation myth
- Donor: Kent Wisniewski
- Catalog #: 113.191