Hyena mask

19th–first half 20th century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 341

This mask was likely created to commemorate a Winiama elder coming into contact with a spirit that took on the form of a hyena. Irregular, raised checks depict the animal’s distinctive spotted pelt, while the uneven eyes and bared teeth express its fearsome and deceptive qualities. Such encounters with supernatural entities in the wilderness beyond the village may be incorporated into a family’s oral history. Often the spirit that reveals itself is considered a protective totem for the clan. That relationship is invoked through the carving of a mask performed at events intended to entertain, honor recently deceased elders, or rid the community of malevolent forces. The dancer wore it over his face, covering his body with a costume of blackened hibiscus fiber. Accompanied by drums and flutes, the choreography imitated the hyena’s devious behavior.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

References

Title: Hyena mask
Artist: Winiama blacksmith
Date: 19th–first half 20th century
Geography: central Burkina Faso
Culture: Winiama peoples
Medium: Ceiba(?) wood, pigment
Dimensions: H. 11 1/2 in. × W. 8 1/2 in. × D. 8 in. (29.2 × 21.6 × 20.3 cm)
Classification: Wood-Sculpture
Credit Line: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979
Object Number: 1979.206.200
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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