Description

This is a long-nose mask, known as a Tumbuan, from an indigenous village in the middle Sepik river region of Papua New Guinea. This mask is made of woven wicker, decorated with earth pigments of red, brown, and white hues. This mask is sometimes used for ceremonies, but most often found hanging from the gables of long houses to ward off bad spirits. These masks are said to represent spirits of birds, animals or other natural phenomena and the long nose may represent a bird’s beak.