Tag: Peter de Smet
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A conspicuous eye problem in sickness masks from Southeast Nigeria
Peter de SmetNijmegen, Netherlands The Ibibio and Igbo peoples in southern Nigeria commemorate their deceased ancestors in masquerades, in which beautiful masks depict good ancestors, while ugly masks portray those who roam about as spirits inflicting illness and misfortune if moral laws are broken. These ugly masks may show twisted or eaten-away noses and lips,…
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Peruvian chukchu masks portraying malaria
Peter de SmetNijmegen, Netherlands Although malaria remains a major health risk in many parts of the world, indigenous forms of art portraying signs of this disease are rarely encountered. An exception is the Peruvian mask on the left, which, in its yellow color, represents jaundice resulting from malaria. In endemic areas, jaundice may occur in…