Sirige Mask
Sirige Mask being danced, Mali. Dogon. 1988 or 1989
The Sirige Masks are made by the Dogon peoples. These masks are danced by the peoples of the Dogon region. The mask is important, but another key part to this mask is the dance that is performed. The mask itself is made out of wood; it is 15 to 20 foot tall. Anyone who performs this dance must be athletic because of the difficulty of moves that the dance includes. It is painted black, white and red in a checkered pattern that contains X’s that are symbols for the crossroads between life and death. The Sirige mask also represents the spiritual connection between their lives and their ancestor’s lives. By performing the dance it helps to show loyalty and remembrance for their ancestors.[1]
[1] Hope B. Weness, The Continuum Encyclopedia of Native Art (Continnum International Publishing Group, 2003), 85
[1] Hope B. Weness, The Continuum Encyclopedia of Native Art (Continnum International Publishing Group, 2003), 85