VIETNAMESE YAO SHAMAN'S RITUAL MASK $250

This wooden mask was hand carved and covered with Do paper by Yao’s tribe who live in the mountains of Northern Vietnam. This mask is used in ritual ceremonies such as Taoist Priests Adorning Ceremony.
During the ceremony participants wear the masks and perform a ritual dance as a way of meeting the gods. At the end, participants - under guidance of the master - lay down in a deep cataleptic-like state. The masks are collected and participants are covered in fabric as if they were dead. They are believed to be reborn then becoming a new human. The reborn are considered “mature,” while anyone who has not been through the ceremony is forever immature and time does not age the soul.
It's dimensions are 14"H x 8"W x 4"D.