Dogon Hare Mask Mali MATTER COLLECTION

This Hare (Dyommo) mask is attributed to the Dogon people of Mali, for whom animal masks play an important role in ceremonial masquerades, particularly funeral dances (dama) intended to guide the spirits of the deceased to the ancestral realm. Dyommo refers to the hare figure in Dogon tradition, an animal associated with speed and elusiveness, and the mask often appears in narrative performances alongside the hunter (dannana) mask, enacting symbolic hunts during public ceremonies.

Carved from light-colored wood, the mask is characterized by its tall, upright ears, white-primed face, triangular eye openings, elongated nose, and small circular mouth. Traces of reddish-brown pigment and a worn surface patina indicate age and ritual use.

Provenance: Matter Collection

From the collection of Margie and Phil Matter. Margie lived in South Africa, and later she and her husband Phil opened a gallery in Tucson. Everything in this collection was in their home for more than thirty years. Africa Direct recently bought the collection; at 95, Margie wants to share the things she has loved so much.

Height(in): 16.0
Width(in): 8.0
Depth(in): 5.0

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