Papua New Guinea · Mask Making / Woven / Ritual Craft
Nggwalndu mask
The Abelam people of the East Sepik Province produce the nggwalndu — an extraordinary combination of woven fiber mask face and painted fiber conical superstructure that can reach 3-4 meters in height. The Abelam are famous for their competitive yam growing — giant ceremonial yams — and the nggwalndu masks are presented during yam ceremonies. The mask face is woven from split cane in a specific checker-weave pattern that must be perfectly even across the entire face surface — assessed by running the palm across the completed face: 'the face should feel like the surface of water — smooth but not flat.'
Risk level: Critically Endangered · PNG national ICH list
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