The Washington times., 1901-07-28
MASKS OF SAVAGE RACES.
HideOus and Gr0tesque Creations
at the National Museum.
A Collection Gathered From Far
away Corners of the Earth-idois
Very Prominent at Human Sac
rifices-The Devil. CaIIoo-COomare.


1t is a striking fact that, as persons
of taste in civilized communities admire
and endeavor to achieve the beautiful In
art, the savage peoples in nearly every
quarter of the world aim at hideousiy
ugly and grotesque creations which
they often endow with divine or super
natural properties The visitor to the
National Museum will notice numbers
of masks and idols from various parts
of the world which, seen amid their
present surroundings, may appear
harmless and ludicrous enough. but
which, transplanted back to'the jungle
and used in the honors of savage
ceremony, would assume a rather more
striking significance.
Many OF these old stone and wooden
idols have doubtless seen Qf the expires
sion be allowable) human sacrifices,
and such exhibitions of denomiacal bar
barity as would chill the blood in their
very recital. The grotesque masks have
been used generally in comparatively
harmless ceremonies, such as soaring
away evil spirits. In the Museum col
lection one sees, for instance, mask
used by the devil dancers of Ceylon.
1t is supposed to be an authentic por-
trait of a devil, named Calloo-Coomare.
Though the mask is used, not .o scare
away this diabolical parsonage out to
f. invite his presence or good graces, it
can hardly be conceived that the por-
trait is a fiattering one, being indie
scribably ugly. If anybody is i'll the
priests of the devil wearing his mask,
which is made of wood. painted in vari-
Gus colors, and has a tusk sticking out
of each side of the horribly grinning
mouth. two discs at each side ard three
cobra capeilas on the top, come and
perform the devils own dance. An
altar, decorated with garlands,. is erect
ed, and the sacrifice. usually cock, is
offered on it together with rice and all
the proper ingredients. Here is a speci-
men of the prayers of the devil-priests.
The Black Devil, who dwells under the rocks
and stones of the Black Sea, looks upon sne
world, sees the infants, and causes them to be
sick Thou, fanah Devil, who accepted offering
at the place where three ways meet, thou
causest the people to be sick, etc.
The prayer is very long one and
must be very exhilarating to the pa
tient. The devil is called a furious
devil and a '-bloodthirsty devil" and
is described as playing in a pool of
blood
There is a very remarkable mask
used among the Indians of this country.
1t is cut out of solid wood and painted
light blue, black, and white. The lower
lip is of canvas and movable by springs,
SO also the eyes. The wearer can thus
make the eyes roll and the mouth open
and close. 1t is the mask OF a medicine
raan.
The Duk-duk mask from New Guinea
is rather interesting one. The Duk-
duk IS not quack doctor, as his name
would seem to imply, but the stern
guardian of law and order He is only
known to the initiated to be a human
being-the general public look upon him
as a sort of demi-god. II has been OBJ
served that the Duk-duk system is
somewhat widely distributed through
out, and is very efficacious one The
Duk-du travels through the bush, Wis
iting each village and setting every
thing in order. If one person is accused |
of injuring another the Duk-duk burns
down the offenders house and generally |
executes judgment. Women and chill |
dren may not gaze on the Duk-duk, or
they viii die. nor may the secrets of the I.
dreaded parsonage be discussed outside !
the Taboo ground, where he is supposed
to live. If an uninitiated person tres
passes on the Taboo grounds of the
that parsonage
The fashions in masks are varied In /
olden times, it appears, these articles /
used to be invariably made of tortoise +
shell. but the modern rage for cheap 1
ness has reached even the savages, !
who now use old boxes and kerosene 4
cans. and find them just as effective.
The Mumbo Jumbo mask comes from I
west Africa 1t is .couble-faced ar
of blackened wood, sur
by hat, and with ornaments
In the hair. From the bottom hangs a
fringe of black fibre. To the superficial /
observer this mask would suggest those !
objects at which he throws basebails 1
for cigars at the summer resorts around |
Throughout a consider /
able portion of western Africa the fem I
mime part of the community stand in /
dread Of a semi-human demon called /
Mumbo Jumbo. He usually makes his
appearance at night, when the natives
are attending a dance after the fatigues
Of the day. His approach is heralded |
by cry, and he joins the party unin-
vited, armed with a rod, and followed
by attendants carrying sticks. While
the people dance around him. he sud
ienly walks up to one of the women
and touches her with his rod She is
instantly seized by the attendants, |
dragged to post, tied to 1t, and there
receives sound thrashing. The Num-
DO Jumbo visitation is always a put-up
Job. The men are all in the secret, and
know who Numbo Jumbo is.
A very creditable piece Of work
among the Museum masks is what ap-
pears TO be representation of a COM
C Shyloek. Two hats are placed upon
he head. and the nose describes a
curve. starting just at the
junction OF the eyebrows and ending in
ne mouth. This mask comes from
Sew Caledonia. and 1t is almost impos-
able to believe it the work of savages.
Us wearer possesses the privilege of
ittng anybody he likes without being
III In return A mask from Java. worn
" actors in that country, has enor-
nous teeth. heavily gilded and shown
o the best advantage. so that 1t looks