Atoni mask with teeth, West Timor
Atoni mask with teeth, West Timor
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30 cm ca. // inches 12”
Wide Atoni mask with asymmetrical design, large nose, teeth made of bone. Dark patina from the smoky house where it has been kept.
The island of Timor gave rise to a distinctive tradition (or traditions) of masks whose precise origins and significance remain uncertain. There is not a dedicated litterature, the little information I have got it comes from a patient work of interviews to elderly of different Belu and Atoni villages (see my interview at the shaman of Billa village): according to them, masks portray both male and female ancestors, they were worn by warriors to scare enemies during the fights, were worn by men during a variety of ceremonies, like harvest ceremonies and ceremonies for the celebrations of victory in war. They were also put on the altar during the sacrifices; in some areas masks were put inside the huts to protect the household from evil spirits. They were worn to hide ones face during raids to other villages or even neighbors in time of hunger.