Masks from the Kanak people were used during funerary ceremonies to honor chiefs and connect with the ancestors. Carved from wood and decorated with fibers, shells, and natural pigments, each mask represents a spirit that mediates between the living and the dead. Their formal language, with stylized features and strong presence, reflects a social and spiritual order deeply rooted in Kanak culture.

Mask
carved wood, pigment
19th century
Kanak People
New Caledonia

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