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Home > Borneo > Polychrome Hudoq Mask
  • Hudoq ceremonial dance, Bahau Dayaks, East Kalimantan. Photo: Michael Palmeri

Polychrome Hudoq Mask

Bahau Dayak, East Kalimantan

Painted Wood

Early 20th century

The Dayaks view life as wholly dependent on nature and whose favor they must seek. This necessitates a constant cycle of ceremonies in which ancestors are venerated and nature propitiated. One such ritual is the naik dango ceremony to express gratitude for a good harvest. During this ceremony, a Hudoq mask representing a dragon-bird composite is used to repel bad spirits to ensure peace and good fortune for the community. The magical power of a hudoq mask is evident in this example, especially in the wide-open eyes, prominent beak and a face painted all over with the aso (dragon) motifs. Such masks were typically destroyed after use.

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