Papua New Guinea - Elema people - Eharo Masks

Elema people (of the Papuan Gulf in southeast New Guinea) practicing an elaborate cycle of masked rituals. These monumental Eharo masks were created primarily for amusement. To the Elema, eharo were "maea morava eharu" ("things of gladness"), and were danced as a prelude to more sacred rituals. Eharo represented supernatural beings (as well as comedic figures), such as lecherous old men and were made and worn by young men from neighbouring villages (at the request of the village hosting the ceremony). As they entered the village, they were pelted with shredded coconut by the women to neutralize their seductive powers! Now rendered harmless, the eharo danced surrounded by large groups of women to the amusement of the assembled crowd

Amazing Anthropological Anthropology Beings Comedic Elaborate Figurative Guinea Humourous Jun16 Masks Monumental Papua Papuan Reeds Supernatural Villagers

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