Mask costume «jiwawoka»
Asmat, Papua-Neuguinea
rattan, sago leaves, conical-shaped, consisting of ring-shaped rattan splices, enlaced by plant fibre strings, painted with vertical black stripes, the planes inbetween dyed with red ochre and kaolin, circular pierced eyes, an oval mouth opening, the nose indicated by a loop with inserted wooden plug, stump arms, exuberant grass fibre bundles attached to the lower rim; when appearing the «jiwawoka» is wearing a stick, in order to check the fairground, a bag for food and a ceremonial net as a hint for the «jiwawoka» myth.
H: 75 cm, around 1960 (4675/018)

Provenance:
Private Collection, Germany

Lit.: Helfrich, Klaus u.a., Asmat, Mythos und Kunst im Leben mit den Ahnen, Musuem für Völkerkunde, Berlin 1996, p. 102, 6.1
Konrad, Gunter und Ursula, Mattihas Schneebaum, Asmat, Leben mit den Ahnen, Glashütten 1981, p. 166 f.