Abelam Yam Harvest Festival Mask

A yam mask, East Sepik, Papua New Guinea, middle 20th century. Used in yam harvest festivals by the Abelam people of the Prince Alexandre mountains. Yam growing is integral to Abelam life; a man's status is interwined with his long yam growing abilities. Each man has a permanent adversary who he presents his largest yam to after the annual harvest; he will in return receive a yam from his rival. Men who are consistently able to give their partner the larger yam gain prestige. These yam masks are worn exclusively by the longest yams harvested. This mask is intricately made with three concentric rings of thin strips of cane woven together. Each concentric circle has coiled bands of cane connecting it to the next circle. Coloured with black and red pigment, and white lime pigment. Length 25 cm, width 23 cm, depth 10.5 cm. Provenance: Previously of the Colin bowling collection