IDNO

LS.109406.TC1

Description

On Catalogue Card: "Mer. (Initiation).
Bomai mask worn in the Malu ceremonies - cardboard model.
(2 slides)." [manuscript in ink]

Documentary photograph of a mask, Bomai, made of cardboard in a facial shape with (top to bottom) an attachment of palm leaves and five Torres Strait pigeon feathers. On the face is attached a number of feathers, two beans for eyes, and cut out teeth within the open mouth. Hanging from the mouth are a number of cardboard ‘jaws’ and a string which loops around to the reverse. [Jude Philp 9/3/1999, description from record N.22926.ACH2, JD 13/03/2020]

Place

Oceania Australasia; Oceania Melanesia; Australia; Torres Strait; Mer

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

None

Collector / Expedition

Haddon, Alfred Cort

Date

1898

Collection Name

Teaching Slide CollectionHaddon Unmounted Collection

Source

Haddon, Alfred Cort (Dr)

Format

Lantern Slide Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

Bibliographical Reference: This object, and its companion Malo, were were made for Haddon by Wano and Enocha of Mer, a description can be found in Headhunters 1901:46 and Reports VI: 289. The mask was worn by an Islander when he performed segments of the original Malo-Bomai dances for Haddon to film on the cinematograph (see P.934.ACH1 to P.937.ACH1 for stills of the film); stills with the mask are printed Reports VI: Plate XXIX, fig. 2,3. [Jude Philp 9/3/1999]

Related Object: Bomai is now part of the UCMAA collection (Z 9440), this photograph shows details which have become detached from the original (e.g. the feathers). [Jude Philp 9/3/1999]