Kanaga Face Mask
Kanaga, ca. before 1952,wood, red and blue paint, leather and fur cords, raffia net, 115 cm. Formerly collection of Josef Mueller, Musee Barbier, Geneva (Photo provided by Spirits Speak)
The Dogon people of Mali perform the Kanaga mask; made of wood, fur, and leather these masks are very rare to present day viewing. [1] The reason for why they are so rare is because they have a lot of wear and tear to these types of masks, making them not last as long as other mask. [1] The mask depicted above is one type of Dogon face masks. This one depicts a dual cross with short side bars on each side. [1] Its height is 115cm and has abstract painted objects on each of the bar ends. [1] These 4 end bars are seen to be pointing the natural world and other world by having the two at the bottom pointing toward the earth and the top two toward the sky. [1] This means that this mask is closely associated with the other world and its spirits.
The Kanaga mask is a representation of Amma, the god of creation. [1] Therefore making the performance of this mask closely associated with him. [1] The performance is to remember the signs and reasons for why Amma made the things he did for this world that we now live in. [1] The Kanaga only comes out for funerals of the people within the community. [1] Overall the Kanaga is to reminisce on the god of creation, Amma.
1. Peter Stepan, Spirits Speak a Celebration of African Masks, (Munich, Berlin, London, New York: Prestel, 2005), 164-166.
The Kanaga mask is a representation of Amma, the god of creation. [1] Therefore making the performance of this mask closely associated with him. [1] The performance is to remember the signs and reasons for why Amma made the things he did for this world that we now live in. [1] The Kanaga only comes out for funerals of the people within the community. [1] Overall the Kanaga is to reminisce on the god of creation, Amma.
1. Peter Stepan, Spirits Speak a Celebration of African Masks, (Munich, Berlin, London, New York: Prestel, 2005), 164-166.