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Relief-Carved Dogon Sirige Mask 42.5″ – Mali – African Art

$245.00

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SKU: 1016803 Categories: ,
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This mask was created in the style of a Sirige mask from the Dogon people of Mali. Sirige masks come in many sizes, some reaching many meters in length. This particular mask measures 42.5 inches tall and weighs 4.5 pounds. There is a large crack on the right side of the face with a metal staple repair. Some cracking, scuffing and general wear and tear throughout – please inspect photos. Stand not included but one can be added for an additional charge.

Type of Object

Face Mask

Country of Origin

Mali

Ethnicity

Dogon

Material

Wood, Pigment

Approximate Age

Unknown

Height (Inches)

42.5"

Width (Inches)

7"

Depth (Inches)

5.5"

Weight (Pounds)

4.5 lbs

Overall Condition

Crack and repair to right side of face. Wear and tear throughout.

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Tribe Information

About the Dogon People

The Dogon have become popularized for their ancient tales on human origins and extraterrestrial contact. According to legend, a race of beings called Nommo, came from the star system Sirius, thousands of years ago. The beings are said to have come to Earth and provided humans with knowledge.  They gave the Dogon information about their solar system as well as our own. These same creatures also appear in Babylonian and Sumerian myths.

Oddly, the Dogon did have knowledge for centuries that were, until Galileo and his telescope, unknown to the Western world. They identified Jupiter’s moons and Saturn’s rings and knew that the Sun was the center of our solar system. They have stories about the big bang and other astronomical events. They had awareness about an invisible companion star orbiting Sirius that was unidentified until 1970. It baffles scientists to this day that an ancient race had knowledge of solar systems that cannot be seen without the help of high-powered telescopes.

Read more about the Dogon here.

Additional Information

About the Sirige Mask

These very exceptionally lengthy masks symbolize a Ginna, the house of the extended family. A muscular adolescent is required to operate these large masks. They dance and move so fast moving from side to side and front to back and not all dancers have this great strength.
These masks are a part of the Masquerade Dama, where they celebrate the deceased since the last Dama. The main objective is to move the souls to their final resting place.