Cultural Origins of Masks
Meet ASEAN countries' masks through a collaborative exhibition of KF ASEAN Culture House and UNESCO ICHCAP, 'Alternative Identities: Masks of ASEAN and Korea'
Alternative Identities: Masks of ASEAN and Korea (2023)ICHCAP
Jointly held by KF ASEAN Culture House and UNESCO ICHCAP, the exhibition Alternative Identities: Masks of ASEAN and Korea introduces "other faces" created under the theme of “Mask”, the cultural heritage of humanity.
The masks of Korea and ASEAN, which encompass the accumulated aesthetic sense and techniques of handicrafts in each region, can be said to reflect aesthetic traditions in different epochs of each country.
Section 1. Origin of Masks
Humans have created animal-like masks to pray for successful hunting or magical masks to wish for good harvests since ancient times.
Alternative Identities: Masks of ASEAN and Korea_08 (2023)ICHCAP
ASEAN masks have been created for various purposes such as ritual masks for expelling evil and disease and praying for a rich and happy life, as well as masks for performance in plays and other entertainment forms.
Phi Ta KhonICHCAP
Phi Ta Khon
Phi Ta Khon is a three-day mask festival held every year between March and July in Dan Sai District in Loei Province, Thailand.
Phi Ta KhonICHCAP
Phi Ta Khon includes a ceremony to express respect to the gods as well as rituals to protect the village and to pray for abundant rain during the farming season.
Nyar NyerICHCAP
Masks at the Luang Prabang New Year Ceremony
On the second day of the Lao New Year festival Pi Mai Lao, a traditional Lao mask dance that can only be seen in Luang Prabang (Lao PDR) is performed.
Pou NyerICHCAP
Pou Nyer symbolizing men, Nyar Nyer symbolizing women, and their lion cub Singkeo-Singkham are the focal point of the Lao New Year ceremonies in Luang Prabang.
Singkeo-SingkhamICHCAP
Both Pou Nyer and Nyar Nyer are considered ancestral gods and guardians by the Lao people.
Big Lion Head and Body (2023) by Hoang ChoongICHCAP
The Lion Dance of the Tày and Nùng of Lang Son City
The Lion Dance of the Tày and Nùng of Lang Son City, Viet Nam, is usually performed during New Year celebrations. Villagers wearing lion masks perform dances to wish for a prosperous life and to ward off evil.
Small Monkey Masks for Interactions (2023) by Hoang ChoongICHCAP
The lion dance has become an important part of the cultural identity of the Tay and Nung communities by combining local cultural elements, traditional martial arts, and folk dances through migration and cultural exchange between ethnic groups in the border region.
Awang Batil
Awang Batil is a storyteller only found in the state of Perlis (Malaysia). He narrates a story by tapping a Batil (copper water container). His performances are predominantly held in homes during wedding feasts and can sometimes span several days.
Topeng Hulubalang (Hulubalang’s Mask) (2023) by Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC)ICHCAP
Throughout Awang Batil's narration, he wears two masks representing the characters of a 'Hulubalang' (soldier) and the 'Wak Nujum' (fortune teller). These masks, typically made of wood and painted in red and white, add depth to his storytelling.
Xuan Pha Masked Performance
The Xuan Pha performance is a Vietnamese folk tradition held every lunar February in Xuan Pha village. It serves as a blessing to the people and expresses gratitude to the guardian deity who watches over farming activities.
Tu Huan MaskICHCAP
Legend has it that Dinh Bo Linh achieved peace with the help of the deity Xuan Pha when chieftains were trying to divide the country. This became the origin of the village festival.
Continue to explore more about ASEAN masks here in section 2 and here in section 3 and 4. Learn about Talchum, the Korean mask dance, here in section 5 of the exhibition.
2023 Collaborative Exhibition
Alternative Identities: Masks of ASEAN and Korea (April 26, 2023 - July 23, 2023)
Organized by: Korea Foundation ASEAN Culture House; UNESCO ICHCAP
Sponsored by: Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Cultural Heritage Administration; International Mask Arts & Culture OrganizationCooperation: Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia; Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts of Cambodia; Center for Research and Promotion of Cultural Heritage in Viet Nam; Thammasat University in Thailand
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