Product Description
Dogon Kanaga Carved Wood Mask – Mali
This authentic carved wood mask, depicting an abstracted animal originates from Mali. Dogon masks, such as this one called kanaga, are worn primarily at dama, a collective funerary rite for Dogon men. The ritual’s goal is to ensure the safe passage of the spirits of the deceased to the world of the ancestors.
Made of 100% wood.
Model is W 49 – H 28 and weight 1.5 kg.
Description
This authentic carved wood mask, depicting an abstracted animal originates from Mali, located in the administrative districts of Bandiagara and Douentza, Mopti region. There are nearly eighty styles of Dogon masks, and for the most, they all utilize the use of various geometric shapes in their design, independent of the various animals they are supposed to represent. Most masks have large geometric eyes and stylized features and are often painted or colored with various. The better known Kanaga and masks are followed in the ceremony by masks that evoke the behavior of some of the animals that inhabit the regions where the Dogon live and hunt. They include among others – antelopes, hares, lions, hyenas, cows, birds and monkeys.
Dogon masks, such as this one called kanaga, are worn primarily at dama, a collective funerary rite for Dogon men. The ritual’s goal is to ensure the safe passage of the spirits of the deceased to the world of the ancestors. The ceremony is organized by members of Awa, a male initiation society with ritual and political roles within Dogon society. As part of the public rites related to death and remembrance, Awa society members are responsible for the creation and performance of the masks.
The Dogon are known for their elaborate funeral rituals with extensive use of masks. Their art is outstanding, as their masks and other objects reflect a purity of style rarely encountered in modern Africa. According to Dogon beliefs, the monkey represents wild, uncivilized, dangerous, and antisocial behavior – the direct opposite of their beliefs about the way a proper, solid, upstanding Dogon person is expected to behave.
The Dogon, an ethnic group are mainly located in the administrative districts of Bandiagara and Douentza in Mali, West Africa. The precise origins of the Dogon people, like those of many other ancient cultures, are not yet determined. Their civilization emerged, in much the same way as ancient Egypt. Around 1490 AD the Dogon people migrated to the Bandiagara cliffs of central Mali. There are approximately 700 Dogon villages, with an average of 400 inhabitants. The tribe’s folk call themselves ‘Dogon’ or ‘Dogom’, but in the older literature they are most often called ‘Habe’, a Fulbe meaning ‘stranger’.
Additional information
| Weight | 1.5 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 49 × 28 cm |
| Color | |
| Material |
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