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Archeology: Please Help Identify Origin of Mystery Mask

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JD
Johnny Dollar posted on 09/05/2005

this archaeology piece does not answer any questions, it only attempts to access our collective knowledge.

not only do i own two of this style of wood mask, my good friend has one that his family once owned, and i recall seeing this in a family friends’ beachouse in the 70’s. also, there is a mask of similar style, painted to resemble bug bugging eyes, at the hala kahiki, which i thought i had photographed but sadly did not.


i have tried to research the origin of this mask many places, but have come up with nuthin.’ when i posted the big mask in tiki finds on 11/14/2003, BK PM’ed me that he thought it was a “menehune mask,” but i have found nothing called that anywhere else. these do not strike me as being of pacific origin, but likewise they don’t seem to have a whole lot of similarity to african or native american carvings i have seen. waikiki kitty did buy this inuit bone pendant carving at a flea market
Image Missing: http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d724b3127cce938fdfb0b6c900000015108IZuWzFo0ag
that has a vague resemblance, but it is not strong enough for me to think the wood masks have inuit origin.

i did find these cool links though:
http://www.masksoftheworld.com/
http://gallery.sjsu.edu/masks/Imagesfram.html

the consistent design features I have seen is:

long mask, carved from one piece of wood
smiling mouth
long nose, flared at bottom
big eyes or cheeks? if painted they look like big googly eyes
over the big eyes/cheeks are little, crescent-shaped “eyes” that were either functionally or representationally the eye holes for the mask
the top of head has some kind of head-dress

freakbear posted some samples he had as well:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=1099&forum=5&vpost=127744&hilite=mask

showing these examples
Image Missing: http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4d938b3127cce9a475786c5dd00000016108AcMm7Vm2atu

can anybody help pin these style of masks down? mahalo…

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Kono posted on 09/05/2005

J$, I don't know the answer, but I've always assumed that those were SE Asian or Indonesian interpretations of Polynesian. Much like the dragon masks or the gnarly surfer "tiki" with the big bush of hair coming out the top of his head. Just a guess though...

JD
Johnny Dollar posted on 11/02/2005

arrrrgh! on saturday i was at a friend's house and he had two of these style of masks. i looked on the back of both and on one there was a round stamp... "made... in... _________" the bottom of the stamp had not made contact with material!
arrrrrrrrrgggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh frustratin'

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FreddieBallsomic posted on 11/02/2005

Here is the mask at the Hala Kahiki. Next time Im there I'll see if JJ can take it down and check the back for me. Image Missing: http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5cf23b3127cce9551cbef7a9a00000016108AZM3LFmzbuX

JD
Johnny Dollar posted on 11/02/2005

thanks, man, you are tres kool.

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Sneakytiki posted on 01/10/2006

Guys and dolls,
These masks are produced in Mexico. Do some Googles of Mexican wood masks and you'll see some of these. Also try diablo/devil mask.

Hope this helps,

Sneaky.

[ Edited by: Sneakytiki 2006-01-10 13:36 ]

JD
Johnny Dollar posted on 01/11/2006

mahalo sneaky!

according to one site,

"The Dance of the Matachine and the Dance of Tres Potentia both use Diablo masks. This mask was made in Guerrero, in the 1940's or 50's... Carved from medium weight blond wood, possibly poplar or cedar. "

Image Missing: http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b6df30b3127cce96dd1d79a43700000015108IZuWzFo0ag

you can definitely see the design basis for the other ones shown.

i think that the ones i have may potentially be from the 50's or 60's then. i wonder if the more recent versions shown in this thread are still being produced in mexico or somewhere even south of there.

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