National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Presented through the NGV Foundation by Todd Barlin, Governor, 2005 This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of The Vizard Foundation
The Barag spirit mask - highly stylised and with an unusually pointed long nose - is the rarest form of mask from the Turubu area, East Sepik Province of Papua New Guinea. The mask is carved in relief and heavily decorated with red pigments and shells. The pierced holes around the edges of the mask signify that the mask would have been worn by men a ceremonies such as male initiation and to promote hunting magic.