Imina kanaga (kanaga masquerade plaited skirt)

early 1970s

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 341

In Dogon society, imina (masks) refer not only to the face coverings, but also to the costumes and the performance. The materials used to make these elaborate ensembles hold deep cosmological significance—the hibiscus plant from which the fibers are extracted grew where a primordial woman named Yasigi is said to have impregnated the earth. Its red and yellow fibers, essential materials that imbue the mask with nyama (life force) and pangan (power), remain closely associated with the reproductive capacities of women. However, as the power generated by Yasigi’s act was considered too dangerous for women to handle, only men may harvest and fashion masks from these plants.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

References

Title: Imina kanaga (kanaga masquerade plaited skirt)
Artist: Dogon artist
Date: early 1970s
Geography: Mali
Culture: Dogon peoples
Medium: Fiber (sanseveria)
Dimensions: Length 35 in.
Classification: Textiles-Costumes
Credit Line: Gift of Lester Wunderman, 1987
Object Number: 1987.74g
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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