SOUTH PACIFIC OCEANIC ART HAND CARVED TRIBAL CLAN ANCESTRAL POLYCHROME SPIRIT DANCE MASK WITH PIGMENTS BUSH TWINE USED DURING SECRET CEREMONIES & INITIATIONS MINDIBIT VILLAGE MIDDLE SEPIK PAPUA NEW GUINEA 12A6 COLLECTOR DESIGNER DECOR 21"x8.5"x 4.5"

Mindibit tribal Ancestral Hand carved Hand painted Spirit Mask.

Hand-carved and painted with natural pigment coloring

 Mindibit tribal Ancestral Hand carved Hand painted Spirit Mask

 IDENTIFYING THE ANCESTORS OF THE CLAN OR TRIBE

Sepik Region. Papua New Guinea Oceanic South Pacific Art, PNG

 ITEM 12A6 (VERY LARGE) 

 Measures: 21" x 8 1/2"x 4 1/2"

This is a beautiful original colorful Mindimbit hand carved Ancestral Mask from Papua New Guinea. 

Mindimbit figures and masks are notable for the use of finely detailed chip carving accentuated with red clay and white lime paint. The designs are similar to the ones painted on participants in initiations and other ceremonies. On this particular mask, the elongated forehead is the headgear worn during initiations and the face has designs of scarification or motifs painted on the dancers during ceremonies. The face mask was worn on top of an elaborate wicker body costume called tambuan, used in dances and ceremonial initiations and why there are holes for eyes instead of traditional Nassa shells decorations. Natural Pigments colors, hand twisted handmade bark twine decorations attached to the ears.

This ancestral mask from Mindibit Village was hand carved out of one solid piece of wood and is meant to give identity to the tribe or clan as a recognized ancestor. The elongated forehead has markings reminiscent of a crocodile back.

Mindimbit is a big, well-kept village on the Middle Sepik, near the junction with the Korosameri River.

All our Tribal Sepik river region carvings, from Papua New Guinea, were collected on the premises.

This important spirit mask was worn during scarifications or initiation of young boys and when not in use, as part of a whole body costume,  was traditionally consulted for advice in times of famine and sickness.

All our Tribal Sepik river carvings, from Papua New Guinea, were collected on the premises. Carvings are always well made, in spite of the relatively crude implements including stone adzes and hand crafted drills operated with ropes and the shark skin rasps and polishes which are used to produce works of carved delicate grace.

All our collector and rare items come with pages and pages of research about provenance, and with history of the tribes and photos as well, depending on item and whenever possible. When shipping internationally, we group ship multiple purchases to save you money, and find the best rates available. If you have any questions or want to see research conducted on this piece and photos of tribes, let us know. 

We have artifacts and architectural accents up to 10 ft tall that we will put on upon request because shipping has to be calculated.