Masks among Eskimo peoples served a variety of functions. Masks were made out of driftwood, animal skins, bones and feathers. They were often painted using bright colors. There are archeological miniature maskettes made of walrus ivory, dating from early Paleo-Eskimo and from early Dorset culture period.[2]
Yup'ikshaman exorcising evil spirits from a sick boy, c.1890.[1]
Despite some similarities in the cultures of the Eskimo peoples,[3][4][5][6][7] their cultural diversity[8] makes it hard to generalize how different groups, like the Inuit and Yupik used masks. The sustenance, Inuit religion, soul concepts, and even the language[9] of the different communities were often very different.
Eskimo groups comprise a huge area stretching from Siberia through Alaska and Northern Canada (including Nunatsiavut in Labrador and Nunavik in Quebec) to Greenland. The term Eskimo has fallen out of favor in Canada and Greenland, where it is considered pejorative and the term Inuit has become more common. However, Eskimo is still considered acceptable among Alaska Natives of Yupik and Iñupiat (Inuit) heritage, as well as Siberian Yupik peoples, and is preferred over Inuit as a collective reference.[10][11][12][13]
Archaeological masks have been found from early Paleo-Eskimo and from early Dorset culture period.[2] It is believed that these masks served several functions, including being in rituals representing animals in personalized form;[14] being used by shaman (medicine man or angakkuq) in ceremonies relating to spirits (as in the case of a wooden mask from southwestern Alaska);[15] it is also suggested that they could be worn during song contest ceremonials.[16]
Associated beliefsedit
Ceremonial ivory masks produced by Yupik in Alaska
Although beliefs about unity between human and animal did not extend to that of absolute interchangeability,[17] several Eskimo peoples had sophisticated soul concepts (including variants of soul dualism) that linked living humans, their ancestors, and their prey.[18][19] Besides synchronous beliefs, there were also notions of unity between human and animal, and myths about an ancient time when the animal could take on human form at will.[14][20] Traditional transformation masks reflected this unity.[21] Ritual ceremonies could enable the community to enact these stories with the help of masks, sometimes with the masked person representing the animal.
The Yup'ik are Eskimos of western Alaska whose masks vary enormously but are characterised by great invention. Yup'ik masks differ in size from forehead and finger 'maskettes', to enormous constructions that dancers need external supports to perform with.[23] Many of these masks were used almost as stage props, some of which imbued the dancer with the spirit that they represented - and most were often destroyed after use. Others represented animal people, (yuit), and insects, berries, plants, ice and objects of everyday life.[23]
^Lawrence Kaplan: Comparative Yupik and Inuit 2008-03-06 at the Wayback Machine (found on the site of Alaska Native Language Center 2009-01-23 at the Wayback Machine)
^Thomas 2008 2008-05-09 at the Wayback Machine: +4 (= third page after the opening page of the article)
^Chandonnet, Ann (2013). Alaska's Native Peoples. Anchorage: Arctic Circle Enterprises. p. 29. ISBN1-933837-14-4.
^ abThe Living Tradition of Yup'ik Masks; Ann Feinup-Riordan; University of Washington Press, Seattle 1996. ISBN0-295-97501-6
Further readingedit
Barüske, Heinz (1969). "Wie das Leben entstand". Eskimo Märchen. Die Märchen der Weltliteratur (in German). Düsseldorf • Köln: Eugen Diederichs Verlag. pp. 6–13. The tale title means: "The way life appeared"; the book title means: "Eskimo tales"; the series means: "The tales of world literature".
Burch, Ernest S. (junior); Forman, Werner (1988). The Eskimos. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN0-8061-2126-2.
Fienup-Riordan, Ann (1994). Boundaries and Passages: Rule and Ritual in Yup'ik Eskimo Oral Tradition. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press.
Hessel, Ingo; Hessel, Dieter (1998). Inuit Art. An introduction. foreword by George Swinton. 46 Bloomsbury Street, London WCIB 3QQ: British Museum Press. ISBN0-7141-2545-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
Kleivan, Inge; B. Sonne (1985). Eskimos: Greenland and Canada. Iconography of religions, section VIII, "Arctic Peoples", fascicle 2. Leiden, The Netherlands: Institute of Religious Iconography • State University Groningen. E.J. Brill. ISBN90-04-07160-1.
Mauss, Marcel (1979) [c1950]. Seasonal variations of the Eskimo: a study in social morphology. in collab. with Henri Beuchat; translated, with a foreword, by James J. Fox. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. ISBN0-415-33035-1.
Oosten, Jarich G. (1997). "Cosmological Cycles and the Constituents of the Person". In S. A. Mousalimas (ed.). Arctic Ecology and Identity. ISTOR Books 8. Budapest • Los Angeles: Akadémiai Kiadó • International Society for Trans-Oceanic Research. pp. 85–101. ISBN963-05-6629-X.
Rasmussen, Knud (1926). Thulefahrt. Frankfurt am Main: Frankurter Societăts-Druckerei.
Rasmussen, Knud (1965). Thulei utazás. Világjárók (in Hungarian). transl. Detre Zsuzsa. Budapest: Gondolat. Hungarian translation of Rasmussen 1926.
Thomas, Lesley (2008). (PDF). Sacred Hoop Magazine (59). ISSN 1364-2219. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2008-04-30.
Vitebsky, Piers (1996). A sámán. Bölcsesség • hit • mítosz (in Hungarian). Budapest: Magyar Könyvklub • Helikon Kiadó. ISBN963-208-361-X. Translation of the original: The Shaman (Living Wisdom). Duncan Baird. 1995.
External linksedit
Media related to Yupik masks at Wikimedia Commons
March 15, 2024
masks, among, eskimo, peoples, served, variety, functions, masks, were, made, driftwood, animal, skins, bones, feathers, they, were, often, painted, using, bright, colors, there, archeological, miniature, maskettes, made, walrus, ivory, dating, from, early, pa. Masks among Eskimo peoples served a variety of functions Masks were made out of driftwood animal skins bones and feathers They were often painted using bright colors There are archeological miniature maskettes made of walrus ivory dating from early Paleo Eskimo and from early Dorset culture period 2 Yup ik shaman exorcising evil spirits from a sick boy c 1890 1 Despite some similarities in the cultures of the Eskimo peoples 3 4 5 6 7 their cultural diversity 8 makes it hard to generalize how different groups like the Inuit and Yupik used masks The sustenance Inuit religion soul concepts and even the language 9 of the different communities were often very different Eskimo groups comprise a huge area stretching from Siberia through Alaska and Northern Canada including Nunatsiavut in Labrador and Nunavik in Quebec to Greenland The term Eskimo has fallen out of favor in Canada and Greenland where it is considered pejorative and the term Inuit has become more common However Eskimo is still considered acceptable among Alaska Natives of Yupik and Inupiat Inuit heritage as well as Siberian Yupik peoples and is preferred over Inuit as a collective reference 10 11 12 13 Contents 1 Early masks 2 Associated beliefs 3 Yup ik masks 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksEarly masks editArchaeological masks have been found from early Paleo Eskimo and from early Dorset culture period 2 It is believed that these masks served several functions including being in rituals representing animals in personalized form 14 being used by shaman medicine man or angakkuq in ceremonies relating to spirits as in the case of a wooden mask from southwestern Alaska 15 it is also suggested that they could be worn during song contest ceremonials 16 Associated beliefs edit nbsp Ceremonial ivory masks produced by Yupik in AlaskaAlthough beliefs about unity between human and animal did not extend to that of absolute interchangeability 17 several Eskimo peoples had sophisticated soul concepts including variants of soul dualism that linked living humans their ancestors and their prey 18 19 Besides synchronous beliefs there were also notions of unity between human and animal and myths about an ancient time when the animal could take on human form at will 14 20 Traditional transformation masks reflected this unity 21 Ritual ceremonies could enable the community to enact these stories with the help of masks sometimes with the masked person representing the animal On Inuit masks concentric circles usually represent the cosmos 22 Yup ik masks editThe Yup ik are Eskimos of western Alaska whose masks vary enormously but are characterised by great invention Yup ik masks differ in size from forehead and finger maskettes to enormous constructions that dancers need external supports to perform with 23 Many of these masks were used almost as stage props some of which imbued the dancer with the spirit that they represented and most were often destroyed after use Others represented animal people yuit and insects berries plants ice and objects of everyday life 23 See also editInuit artReferences edit Fienup Riordan 1994 206 a b Hessel amp Hessel 1998 12 13 Kleivan 1985 8 Rasmussen 1965 366 ch XXIII Rasmussen 1965 166 ch XIII Rasmussen 1965 110 ch VIII Mauss 1979 Kleivan 1985 26 Lawrence Kaplan Comparative Yupik and Inuit Archived 2008 03 06 at the Wayback Machine found on the site of Alaska Native Language Center Archived 2009 01 23 at the Wayback Machine Eskimo Definition History Culture amp Facts Encyclopedia Britannica Kaplan Lawrence Inuit or Eskimo Which name to use www uaf edu Alaska Native Language Center University of Alaska Fairbanks Retrieved 2021 04 02 Eskimo Websters Dictionary Retrieved 1 April 2021 Hersher Rebecca April 24 2016 Why You Probably Shouldn t Say Eskimo NPR a b Oosten 1997 90 91 Burch amp Forman 1988 90 91 Burch amp Forman 1988 30 31 Oosten 1997 99 Oosten 1997 86 Vitebsky 1996 14 Baruske 1969 7 9 Thomas 2008 Archived 2008 05 09 at the Wayback Machine 4 third page after the opening page of the article Chandonnet Ann 2013 Alaska s Native Peoples Anchorage Arctic Circle Enterprises p 29 ISBN 1 933837 14 4 a b The Living Tradition of Yup ik Masks Ann Feinup Riordan University of Washington Press Seattle 1996 ISBN 0 295 97501 6Further reading editBaruske Heinz 1969 Wie das Leben entstand Eskimo Marchen Die Marchen der Weltliteratur in German Dusseldorf Koln Eugen Diederichs Verlag pp 6 13 The tale title means The way life appeared the book title means Eskimo tales the series means The tales of world literature Burch Ernest S junior Forman Werner 1988 The Eskimos Norman OK University of Oklahoma Press ISBN 0 8061 2126 2 Fienup Riordan Ann 1994 Boundaries and Passages Rule and Ritual in Yup ik Eskimo Oral Tradition Norman OK University of Oklahoma Press Hessel Ingo Hessel Dieter 1998 Inuit Art An introduction foreword by George Swinton 46 Bloomsbury Street London WCIB 3QQ British Museum Press ISBN 0 7141 2545 8 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location link Kleivan Inge B Sonne 1985 Eskimos Greenland and Canada Iconography of religions section VIII Arctic Peoples fascicle 2 Leiden The Netherlands Institute of Religious Iconography State University Groningen E J Brill ISBN 90 04 07160 1 Mauss Marcel 1979 c1950 Seasonal variations of the Eskimo a study in social morphology in collab with Henri Beuchat translated with a foreword by James J Fox London Routledge amp Kegan Paul ISBN 0 415 33035 1 Oosten Jarich G 1997 Cosmological Cycles and the Constituents of the Person In S A Mousalimas ed Arctic Ecology and Identity ISTOR Books 8 Budapest Los Angeles Akademiai Kiado International Society for Trans Oceanic Research pp 85 101 ISBN 963 05 6629 X Rasmussen Knud 1926 Thulefahrt Frankfurt am Main Frankurter Societăts Druckerei Rasmussen Knud 1965 Thulei utazas Vilagjarok in Hungarian transl Detre Zsuzsa Budapest Gondolat Hungarian translation of Rasmussen 1926 Thomas Lesley 2008 Visions of the End of Days Eskimo Shamanism in Northwest Alaska PDF Sacred Hoop Magazine 59 ISSN 1364 2219 Archived from the original PDF on 2008 05 09 Retrieved 2008 04 30 Vitebsky Piers 1996 A saman Bolcsesseg hit mitosz in Hungarian Budapest Magyar Konyvklub Helikon Kiado ISBN 963 208 361 X Translation of the original The Shaman Living Wisdom Duncan Baird 1995 External links edit nbsp Media related to Yupik masks at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Masks among Eskimo peoples amp oldid 1204747816, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
