Pataxó Indigenous Mask | Brazil

The Pataxó indigenous ethnic group represents the resistance of the ancestral culture. Residents in different villages in the south of Bahia, Barra Velha being the oldest - existing for over two and a half centuries -, the Patxohã-speaking Indians and their varied body paintings are the inspiration for this decorative mask carved in natural wood. Marked by the use of yellow, red and black, traditional colors of the culture obtained from natural sources such as clay, annatto and genipap, the artistic paintings of Curral da Cor highlight the symbolism that unites each graphic detail to a feeling, social condition or ritual.

The Awê or Toré ritual is one of the oldest cultural manifestations of the Pataxó people. This sacred ritual combines food preparation, face and body painting, singing and dancing in the search for the positive energies of nature, as well as bringing people together and connecting with ancestral spirituality. As painting is an extremely important element in the Pataxó cultural practice, it connects with the colors and patterns of this work of art, transferring the indigenous tribe's desire for positivity to the environment in which it is located.

Mask only dimensions:
Height 22cm x Width 15cm