The first New Caledonian mask known in Europe was acquired by a naturalist on the d'Entrecasteaux expedition to search for La Pérouse, in the Balade region in 1792, in exchange for two carpenter's chisels. With a wooden face and human hair or a feather cloak, the kanak masks look as if they have a grimacing smile and are of ambiguous attraction. Having suffered early on from an unfavourable appraisal by western observers, the mask was for a long time considered to be a diabolical representation.
Today, it has rediscovered its place within the artistic context although traditional production has stopped and it is now a full part of the kanak cutural heritage. The masks are amongst the most represented kanak objects in the collections of European museums.
A description of the mask
The mask is a disguise which is comprised of three parts : a face, a hairdo and a cloak. It belongs especially to the northern half of the Mainland and seems to have been unknown in the far south of the Mainland and in the Loyalty Islands.
The face
This is always sculptured in a piece of hard wood measuring on average 60 cm in height and 40 cm in width. It represents a human face. The face is peculiar by its large, crooked nose which extends down almost reaching the mouth. The person wearing the mask sees through an opening in the lips and not through the eyes which have not been hollowed out. This opening and the volume of the hairdo on the frame give the person an impressive size. Holes around the mask enable the beard to be attached, this being made of human hair and the cloak of feathers or leaves. The mask is coated in several layers of polish. The black is obtained by grilling and crushing the "bancoulier nut". A certain shine also indicates that the Melanesians used other resins such as Kaori gum.
The hairdo
The sculptured face is enhanced by the frame of a monumental hairdo which hides the framework of the wooden piece. The hair is made from the hair of mourners. These were men who had mourned the death of a relation until its decomposition, and then carried their remains into the forest. Two or three years later, before the ceremony which brought the mourning period to an end, their hair which had grown long would be cut. This cut hair would then be displayed on a dome made of woven liana : the dome of the mask, which was then seen as being a substitute for the deceased. To the human hair would often be added the braids of fruit bat hair.
The cloak
The base of the mask was hidden by a beard attached under the chin. It was made from braids of hair mixed with plant fibres. Below is attached the cord of fruit bat hair. "Notou" feathers were also used. On some masks, the cloak was made with a fishing net covered in "notou" feathers. This hides the wearer's body to the knees.
Some masks have a cloak made of plant elements and a hairdo made with the leaf casing of the coconut palm. Seeds are sometimes used to indicate the position of the mouth.
The mask's purpose
The mask is closely linked to the "chefferie". It has a great variety of shapes and functions which change depending on the region. In the north of the Mainland, it is associated with mourning and is seen in funeral ceremonies. Sometimes it is used as a simple theatre costume.
In the south it appears in dances and other forms of entertainment. The mask can cause fear, which in turn causes great hilarity, until it is explained that it is only an object. In this region, the mask is completely absent from mourning ceremonies.
Bibliography
| « Le masque kanak » | (Editions Parenthèses / ADCK) Emmanuel KASARHEROU |
|---|---|
| « Mythologie du masque en NC» | (Publication de la Société des Océanistes) Jean GUIARD |
| « La Nouvelle-Calédonie aujourd’hui » | (Editions du Jaguar) Arlette EYRAUD |