Kanaga mask

E746939

The Kanaga mask is a distinctive Dogon ceremonial mask from Mali, characterized by its double-barred cross shape and used in complex funerary and cosmological rituals.

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Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Dogon mask
ceremonial mask
cultural artifact
ritual object
associatedWith Dogon cosmology
agricultural fertility
ancestor veneration
category African mask
ritual performance object
collectedSince early 20th century
continent Africa
countryOfOrigin Mali NERFINISHED
culture Dogon culture NERFINISHED
displayedIn museums of African art
documentedBy ethnographers of Dogon culture
ethnicGroup Dogon people NERFINISHED
function honors the deceased
mediates between living and dead
represents cosmic order
influenced modern African-inspired art
material fiber
pigment
wood
movementStyle energetic dance
leaping motions
sweeping arcs of the crossbars
region Bandiagara Escarpment NERFINISHED
religiousContext Dogon religion
requires specialized ritual knowledge to use
risk cultural commodification through art market
ritualRole guides souls of the dead
protects the community
shape double-barred cross
symbolizes connection between heaven and earth
cosmic axis
creation myths in Dogon belief
temporalContext performed at end-of-mourning ceremonies
tradition Dogon masking traditions
transmission taught to initiated Dogon men
usedIn Dama ceremony NERFINISHED
cosmological rituals
funerary rituals
visualFeature geometric patterns
horizontal crossbars
polychrome painting
projecting upper and lower arms
vertical central plank
wornBy Dogon dancer

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Dogon ritualMaskType Kanaga mask