Makonde helmet mask. Balsa wood, human hair and pigment.
From one of two villages situated between Moda and Chipanha, Mozambique, purchased by an Australian UN Peacekeeper in 1995. Circa mid 90's.
By wearing these ceremonial masks, the ancestral spirits of the tribe are incarnated. They are worn in dances that conclude the initiation ceremonies for adolescent boys and girls.
Measurements: length 24 cm, width 20 cm, height 22 cm