Mualang Dayak Mask

This beautifully sculpted mask is characteristic of those produced by the Mualang people, a Dayak subgroup inhabiting the interior of Borneo.

The Dayak indigenous religion is Kaharingan, a form of animism which, for official purposes, is categorized as a form of Hinduism in Indonesia. The practice of Kaharingan differs from group to group, and for example in some religious customary practices, when a noble (kamang) dies, it is believed that the spirit ascends to a mountain where the spirits of past ancestors of the tribe reside. On particular religious occasions, the spirit is believed to descend to partake in celebration, a mark of honour and respect to past ancestries and blessings for a prosperous future.

Masks such as this example are those principally used in such ceremonies. Though they are relatively plain in terms of adornment, especially when compared to the extremely flamboyant hudoq masks of the Iban, the fine carving and expressive moulding of the features render them extremely effective in performance.

Image: Polished wood, cord; 27 x 19 x 14cm.