Mudman's Mask, Asaro Valley, Eastern Highlands
Collected in 1965, this mask was used in a display dance that reenacts the salvation of the Asaro from an enemy. According to legend, the Asaro were attacked and fled into the Asaro River. they emerged covered in white clay, and their enemies, thinking they were in the presence of spirits of the dead, turned and ran. The original mudman masks were fashioned on a cane framework. Since the 1970s they have been made of thick clay and have become popular with tourists.

32 cm. On loan from the Sidney Nolan Estate to the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

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