Body mask

Impressive woven body masks embody the restless ndat (spirits of deceased individuals), who are encouraged by their living relatives to depart the earthly plane in pursuit of safan, the ancestral realm. Body masks remain an integral part of Asmat ceremonial life. As many as a dozen spirit masks, each worn by a close male relative of the deceased, are welcomed into the village overnight for a celebratory feast and dancing. By morning they are expected to return to the forest and permanently leave the world of the living. This mask embodied Awe, who is described as “a man of many decorations.” This is likely a reference to the numerous ornaments he wore in life, an indication of his seniority within the community.