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This figure represents an Aztec priest of the Tlaloc, god of water, earth, and fertility. The priest wears a large, adorned headdress with symbols of water fertility like jade and a paper fan. This art piece captivated me immediately due to to its strong posture and elaborate gear. The two fans on the side of the head piece along with the two circles and triangle on top made the headdress look like an eagle mask, situated atop of a man looking at a distance with awe. This combination of elements left a sort of otherworldly aura around the figure, and this, along with its raised hand, invited me to come closer.

Miriam

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This particular mask was created using cloth and colorful glass beads. The colorful creativity to represent an elephant caught my eye the most. However, I tried to imagine wearing this Elephant Helmet Mask and I definitely wouldn't have enjoyed wearing it. I'm a short person and this long mask would be dragging along the floor. But I think I just very much enjoy the creativity, pattern and representation of an elephant in regards to the mask as a whole.

-Genevieve

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The most striking aspect of this mask that stood out to me above all others is the immense amount of history, tradition, and respect that has been a part of the mask's journey. The mask was created by King Oba of Nigeria, in honor of his mother, sometime during his successful and prosperous reign during the 16th century. The mask then became a family heirloom, having been handed down for centuries before being taken right before the 20th century. The mask is small and is intended to be worn around the belt of the King. Because the item is so old and continuously respected through generations, it lends weight spiritually as well as culturally. Visually, the simplistic single color reflects the prominence and authority that it has for an item so small, with little added decoration and adornment to distract the viewer from it's significance.

-Neil Griffith

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First of all I chose this mask because it looks very unique. It is does not have normal facial features as many of the masks at the SAM had. This mask is from the Ikwerri people of Nigeria. A proverb by the Ikwerri states, "A large eye does not mean keen vision," which is basically the story behind this mask. This mask was used as a caution against judgements based solely on appearances. The eyes holes of this type of bird and the mask are hidden under his beak and even though not seen it is still watching. The big reason why I chose this mask is because I connected it with one of my biggest values. I do not judge anyone solely on what I assume or see on the outside. I have met numerous people throughout my life that has told me their stories, some of whom I commend their strength and courage for.
-ALexia

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While walking through the SAM museum, I was avidly looking for the mask that most literally caught my attention and the one that I could find the most interesting. The masks on the third floor were not appealing and in my opinion a bit boring, I headed up to the 4th floor where I found a more interesting collection of masks. The mask of the moon is the mask that I considered the most appealing. It was carved by Joe Seaweed, a creation that depicts a full moon to its audience. This mask was commonly used during ceremonies where moon-masked dancers would argue as to which moon brought along the largest fish: the full moon or the crescent moon.

I found this mask interesting because of its simplicity, yet complexity all at once. The design and style is fairly simple with a nice smile and normal face features, I personally like the color scheme that keeps it simple with some pop of color and texture in the hair. All being said, the most interesting part about this mask and what made it stand out from the rest was the contrast between the smile expression on the actual face of the mask and the concerned frowning face on the "moon" on top of the mask. This mask shows the two extremes of sun and moon and happy and sad all in one piece of art.

- Santi

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I chose the Bamileke Elephant Mask because elephants are my favorite animal and I had a strong sense of curiousness when I encountered this mask that I hadn't previously felt with the Native American masks or some of the other African Masks. The Bamileke mask is part of the Kuosi peoples of Cameroon. Elephants are often viewed as highly powerful symbols and are often used to show political power in Cameroon. The color associated on any given mask usually correlate with some meaning, leaving each mask, artfully and personally created. The beads often featured on these masks also show a position of wealth for the wearers who perform for the royal courts. The Kuosi are a group of elite who help king (fon) preserve and enforce the sociopolitical hierarchy.
-Isis Covington

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This mask stuck out to me the most, as it is decorated with so many different, elaborate colors and artistic animal representations around the person's face. Each animal seems to be facing in a way that helps the man move forward, showcasing just how important the natural world is to the progression of people. The positioning of the mouths and the similar markings on the faces show yet another parallel to man and nature as one in the same.
-Katie Miller

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This headdress was used in sacred ceremonies among the Quileute, Makah, and Nuu-chah-nulth Native American tribes. The mask was created along with songs and other special regalia after a tribe encountered a wolf, which was believed to be a part of a Wolf Society, and had supernatural powers. I personally found this to be very interesting, as the idea of running into a wolf in the wild sounds pretty scary to me. But to think that the people in these tribes thought it to be such a blessing that they would go through all the trouble of creating such a beautiful piece of art and celebrating the encounter, really shows how much they respected the nature around them. They understood that the wolves were much more powerful then they could ever be, but instead of fearing them or trying to control them, they celebrated the wolves natural powers and worked to live among side them.
-Ciara Loughnane

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Made by the Bwa people of Burkina Faso, the mask was designed so that when the wearer shakes their head it appears to slither. In Bwa culture, serpents are called upon to thank spirits/ancestors for harvests.

I was drawn to it because of it's streamlined design and eye-catching height.

I also found it's symbolism interesting since in European cultures snakes are often symbolic of deceit and ill-intent and in the US can be thought of an a symbol of the underdog. It's fascinating how one animal can bring so many different visceral feelings depending on the context.

- Olivia

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Who ever works this mask terrified and humored people at the same time. It's unnerving grin was really creepy and I liked it. It's use was for funerals which I thought was hilarious. The wearer was supposed to act out in erratic and perplexing behavior. It's purposes were to restore social order and accompany the dead to the next world.

- Thomas

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This

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I was drawn to this mask because it's colorful and cheerful, but it also has something eerie about it. The beard-like cedar bark beneath the chin also attracted me because I hadn't seen many other masks with such humanistic adornments. However, I didn't read any information about the mask when I singled it out from the rest. Turns out this is mask is a modern interpretation of an ancient legend about a malevolent man-like being that embodies the spirit of the forest and transforms into different ghosts, the "Bak'was". The Bak'was originates from the Kwakwaka'wakw tribe from the west coast of Canada, and it is also believed the Bak'was will try to trick people into eating his poisoned food. If you look closely, you'll notice the nuclear towers on the top of the mask. David Neel, Kwagu'l, created this mask in response to the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl that led to mass death and pollution. Honestly, the mask is extremely unsettling to me now. I feel like it's laughing at the world, laughing at humanity and how we've destroyed our life-giving planet. Yet I still feel a connection with it. This mask physically embodies the flaws of humanity and highlights our inevitable connection to the destruction we try not to claim as our own.
-Claire

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What caught my eye about this mask (the mask behind the standing figure) was the expression that it has on its face. The figure represented appears to be either speaking to someone or staring in awe at some figure. Because this is the God of Fertility being represented, I expected the mask to appear more calm or collected in its expression due to its peaceful nature. The irony of the expression on the face in regards to the god being represented caught my eye. Additionally, the small slitted eyes in the mask caught my attention as well.
- max thorne

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The Ancient One is a mask of Liberian and Ivorian descent. What's interesting about it is that while it seems to resemble the face of a human man, it is almost entirely composed of animal parts such as teeth, feathers, horns, hair, and fur. According to the SAM, the mask was used during times that a community was experiencing social unrest. It was a reminder that people should refrain from untamed animal instinct and instead practice civility. I was personally drawn to the mask because of how hard it was to look at – it is pretty awful. But this seems to be what the artist intended, at least from my point of view: recognizing and accepting the ugly within ourselves is difficult, but it is the only way we can begin to improve.
Viviana

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The first things I noticed about this mask were the extended, narrow eyes.  At first, I thought this seemed intimidating from the point of view of the onlooker.  The eyes and extended mouth seem to jut out at the viewer in a menacing manner. However, after some consideration, I thought about it from the point of view of the person wearing the mask.  The view that he or she would have would be very limited and focused only on what was directly in front of him or her.  This concept drew me in and interested me in this mask.  Whatever ceremony or ritual this mask was a part of would force the participant to focus forward, as if to say they should look into the future and not linger on the past.  I think this is a lesson that anyone could take to heart.  It doesn’t mean the person could not turn their head and enjoy the world around them, but it does seem to provide a narrow focal point for the participant.
Also, I'm not mad in the picture; I was trying to make the same face.

-Jeremy

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The piece of non-Western art that caught my attention, while at the SAM, was the Three-Faced Helmet Mask. It is a mask that is found in the Nigerian/Cameroonian area; the mask is made of wood, animal skin, and pigment. It contains three faces that, according to the art’s plaque, had a tight depiction of two light colored women and one dark face of a man. While the plaque did not elaborate much on the mask, it was said to be worn over a performer’s head, and they could see out of the man’s eyes and “convey an impressive character that appeared at warriors’ event.” Coming from a Catholic background, I quickly made the connection to the Blessed Trinity, the three Divine Persons in one God. It made me wonder if there was some connection to there being three distinct views or people, but being contained in the same head/helmet. After discussing my mask choice with a friend, she reminded me of the Greek myth of the Fates, the three sister deities that decided the fate and life of people. It was strange that only one set of eyes can be looked out of, opposed to having an option to look out of each face. With that said, it was fascinating to draw the connections to beliefs in things that consist of three.

-Jonathan Kuc

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What initially drew me to this mask was the resemblance it held to the spirits in the Miyazaki film Spirited Away. Although culturally very different, these two distinct styles are very similar. The Opa Mma mask, which translates to "carry-child" is also referred to as the queen mask.This mask is seen as a motherly face, carrying a child on her head. The Nigerian masks are part of a parade or Njenje (walkabout), involving essentially an entire village. This celebration is considered their equivalent of our Christmas. As part of the exhibit on identity, these masks created a unique world among themselves and shared some of the nuances of identity. When I consider what it means to be masked or to wear a mask, in many instances I think about how that relates to who I am and who I can become. We all wear masks at some point in our lives, be they physical or metaphorical, the concept of being someone else even for a second is fascinating. It's the story behind each that draws me to them, the story behind who that mask is or who they will be, of who created that mask and what their intention was. All of these stories create an identity, and each identity is unique to the viewer or wearer.

-Justine Grassie

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(Gela) Centered with hair.

This mask had the most animated qualities. It felt like it was going to jump out at me. That’s what had drew my attention to it. There were multiple surfaces which suggested to me that the mask could be read in a variety of ways. It’s sharp protruding horns adorn the dome of the mask, and, along the brow and the sides. The horns are dark as well as sharp which seemed to invade the viewing space. It emanates a primal essence and a sense of authority. Where the eye holes are, the mask sinks in making the bearer’s eyes harder to see. To me, that may suggest to the viewer to look inward or think themselves to be the person behind the mask. The center aesthetics have humanoid qualities that also drew my attention. A spiked nose bridge, teeth that extend way beyond the jawline, and a beard; suggesting human-like seniority.
Apparently the mask is full of the “vitality of the forest” and the Gela reminds people of the need to clear the unconscious mind of animalistic thoughts and actions. I found the look and the lore of this mask to be really interesting!

-Chris Mercurio

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The origin of the mask reads: "Kumugwe embodies wealth from the sea as a supernatural being who magically appeared to particular ancestors, thus allowing subsequent generations of relatives to claim his masks."
The reason this interested me is because of the conversation we had in class, where we used the image of the glacier to underscore the dichotomy between the waking world (the ice above the sea) from the special world of dreams (the huge amount of ice below the surface). What this mask illustrates to me in I guess a more psychoanalytical way (I could totally be wrong) is that there's great reverence for those who could navigate the special world of spirit ancestors (essentially the subconscious) and extract from that some sort of abstract wisdom, as the plaque beneath the mask continues: "The re-dramatization of the ancient encounters are staged during tia'sagala ceremony, thus providing an inalienable link between the living and the ancestors."
The mask is also pretty.

-Paolo

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What first caught my attention about this African mask was how long it was compared to other African masks I saw. I was also attracted to the mask's patterns and colors of what I thought was a very large and powerful bird. Birds have been a symbol of freedom and beauty to me and seeing how carefully and beautifully this mask was crafted reminded me of a sense of freedom and empowerment. I then proceeded to read the description of the mask and realized that it was known as the “Serpent Mask.” After realizing the mask was created in the form of a serpent, I was taken aback when I read that “Serpent masks were most often called upon to thank spirits and ancestors for enabling bountiful harvests.” For me, a snake or serpent usually symbolizes mystery or death (the opposite of bountiful harvests) so it was interesting to see how African culture viewed and portrayed serpents as a positive, life-giving symbol, and gave them such praise. The last time I remember wearing a mask was at a photo booth at my girlfriend's step-sister's wedding. We were taking multiple photos and I had put on a masquerade-type mask to add a sense of mystery and excitement to the photo. Looking back, I had essentially become "someone or something else" to take photos with people I love and care about. I wasn't the only one who covered my face to add a new character to the photos we were taking. Reflecting on these moments reminds me of a sense of camaraderie, community, happiness, and love, even though we all were wearing different masks and "became someone or something else" for the sake of memory-making (photo-taking).

- Rosel Hermita