New Guinea Masks 5 



regions. The carved face varies considerably from 

 district to district, some being characterized by huge 

 curved noses, others by long pointed ones, etc. The 

 framework to which the face is fastened and the 

 material with which the frame is covered also vary, 

 feathers being used in only a limited district. Bark, 

 leaves, grass and fiber coverings are also used. Often 

 the leaves are fresh, so it is impossible to preserve the 

 mask as a whole; while usually a certain number of 

 fresh leaves, and often flowers, are added. 



The feather masks shown in the frontispiece are 

 among the largest, if not the largest, known to occur in 

 New Guinea. These masks represent local deities, who 

 visit the village on the occasion of certain special 

 ceremonies. There is less secrecy connected with them 

 than with most masks of this type. I had the 

 opportunity of seeing the preparation of these masks, 

 and witnessing part of the ceremonies. There was no 

 objection whatever to my entering the enclosure where 

 the masks were made, or witnessing any of the 

 proceedings, and I could doubtless have seen everything 

 that took place if I had stayed in the village during the 

 whole period. There were many visitors from neigh- 

 boring villages, who viewed the performance in much 

 the same way that the onlookers would view a modern 

 religious procession in Rome, for example. 



The village where this took place is named Awar, 

 and is one of four or five small neighboring villages, all 

 belonging to the same tribe or linguistic group, the 

 total number of individuals probably not exceeding one 

 thousand. The villages are situated on or near Hansa 

 Bay, a few miles west of Potsdam Harbor, on the north 

 coast of New Guinea. The ceremony occurs about once 

 a year, being held in the different villages in rotation, 

 but the people of all the villages attend each ceremony. 

 The preparation of the masks takes several months; 

 for, while the feathers and ornaments are kept from 



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