Owl head mask (E525)

Notsi, Northern New Ireland, Papua New Guinea. Wood, shell, pith, lime, red ochre, cambium, black paint, barkcloth - Owl head masks appeared in dance performances representing the birth, life and death of the owl. Traditional rights to wear these masks for performances were probably sold from one village to the next, with the original village retaining performance rights. The masks were used in northern New Ireland from the 1830s to the 1930s.