These masks are not meant to be worn. The Garra represents bush spirits and older men and is traditionally carried by the male
dancer in the initiation ceremonies or hung on the rafters in the men’s house
where they were kept and believed to have magical powers to protect the
villagers. Their powers can be obtained for hunting and fighting by means of
certain rituals. The hooks represent stylized hornbill beaks which aside of
their decorative effect have a symbolic meaning. Throughout South-East Asia,
the Great Hornbill is related to the soul, the ancestor and the spirit world.
Height: 51" x Width: 17" x Depth: 4".
