Title

Malagan Mask with Bird

Description

Malagan masks were used for many purposes in Northern New Ireland. Some Malagan masks were used for sacred ceremonies, and other masks such as the one being described was used for public ceremonies associated with malagan rituals that were worn by men acting out a drama or play.

Semester

Spring 2026

Subject

Indigenous Art

Morton D. May Collection

Melanesian

Mask

Northern New Ireland

Temporal Coverage

late 19th to early 20th century

Spatial Coverage

Northern New Ireland

Language

The description of the object is in English

Medium

The object is made out of wood, indigenous paints, red ochre, bark cloth, coconut and other fibers, rattan, and shell.

Source

Saint Louis Art Museum

https://www.slam.org/collection/objects/7723/

Is Part Of

Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

Morton D. May

Identifier

176:1975

Provenance

1968
Rugs and Decorative Accessories, Inc., New York, NY, USA

1968 - 1975
Morton D. May (1914-1983), St. Louis, MO, purchased from Rugs and Decorative Accessories, Inc.

1975
Saint Louis Art Museum, given by Morton D. May

Explanation of Omeka Map Location

This mask originated in Northern New Ireland which is also known as Papua New Guinea