Wooden mask, 1800/1899, From the collection of: British Museum
Religion and rituals strongly influence every aspect of Oceanic life, and their association with the arts is especially close. Masks like this are part of their religious symbolism and used in rituals.
Malanggan Mask, Unknown, 19th century, From the collection of: Museo Nacional de Antropología, Madrid
One of the best regions to find ritual masks in Oceania is Melanesia. One such as this Malanggan Mask, are commonly used at funeral rites, which both bid farewell to the dead and celebrate the vibrancy of the living. The masks can represent a number of things: dead ancestors, ges (the spiritual double of an individual), or the various bush spirits associated with the area. The masks depict elaborate coiffures, wide, prominent noses, pierced earlobes and a broad mouth with teeth.
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