Shark fin shoulder mask
Artist Unidentified
20th century
Object PlaceGuinea Bissau
Medium/TechniqueWood, paint, braided plant fiber, nails
DimensionsHeight x width: 21 1/4 x 3 3/4 in. (54 x 9.5 cm)
Credit LineGift of Geneviève McMillan in memory of Reba Stewart
Accession number2009.2590
On View
Not on viewClassificationsMasks
Collections
The Bidjogo live on the Bissagos Islands off the coast of Guinea Bissau. This shark fin appendage was worn on the shoulder and was part of a larger dance costume worn by young men being initiated into adulthood. The newly initiated warriors wore heavy costumes representing sharks, crocodiles, and other animals that posed a threat to canoes.
Provenance1977, sold by Galerie Majestic, Paris to Geneviève McMillan (b. 1922 - d. 2008), Cambridge, MA; 2008, to the Geneviève McMillan and Reba Stewart Foundation, Cambridge; 2009, gift of the Geneviève McMillan and Reba Stewart Foundation to the MFA. (Accession Date: June 17, 2009)
