- Museum number
- Af1993,09.47
- Description
-
Mask (kachipapa) for Nyau masquerade made of light brown synthetic fur fabric, with plain eyeholes. Nylon hair-net sewn to top of mask, with short lengths of synthetic hair applied in bands. White plastic raffia strips and cords, sewn to fur fabric with fibre thread, hang around bottom of mask.
- Production date
- 20thC(late)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 75 centimetres
-
Width: 58 centimetres
-
Depth: 18.50 centimetres
- Curator's comments
-
For depictions of Nyau masks in Malawi rock art see:
2013,2034.19727-19729
2013,2034.19852-19864
2013,2034.10966-19869
2013,2034.19873-19877
2013,2034.19879-19887
2013,2034.19890-19895
2013,2034.1908-19922
2013,2034.20052-20053
2013,2034.20274-20281
2013,2034.20286-20287
2013,2034.20303-20311
2013,2034.20317
2013,2034.20374-20378
-
Kachipapa (kachipapa – an old basket for collecting ashes) belongs to the “Afflicted” mask family and is the mother of the family, alongside the father Kasinja. The parents are known to chatter and talk, unlike the Chief’s family which does not speak. They have three young men in their care; Chimtabwa (eldest son), Nyolonyo (youngest son) and Mbiyazodooka (orphan/outcast).
This family of masks is referred to as the “lame” family by senior mask-makers and Nyau leaders. They are the lowest family in Chewa society; very poor, dressed in rags and without dignity. They are afflicted with illness and handicaps, and regarded as foolish people (de Aguilar,1996:93).
Kachipapa represents a pauper, a lazy person, a person who dresses only in rags, similar to her husband Kasinja. Her name refers to an old basket, which she is said to resemble. Kachipapa is said to have carried an old basket on her back during the dance, but de Aguilar notes that this trait was no longer evident in 1992 (de Aguilar, 1996:94).
In the funeral, Kachipapa stays up all night with the women, who dance and sing and brew beer until dawn. They are kept awake, being entertained by this masked dancer. The dancer is male, portraying a female, and hurls sexual insults at the women, which are answered back with sexual insults about men to the mask. This constant teasing keeps everyone awake and laughing, but may also be interpreted as an ambiguous sexuality on the part of the mask, being male and female simultaneously (de Aguilar, 1996:94)
-
See Collection File Af,1993.09. Collection made by the vendor during periods of fieldwork in Malawi (1985-6,1988,1990 & 1992). Nyau is a men's semi-secret masked association whose major function is to perform masquerades at funerary ceremonies. Mask made by Kumanda Kalipindi. Collected for vendor by Mr Kalekeni in 1992.
- Location
- Not on display
- Condition
- Good.
- Acquisition date
- 1993
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Af1993,09.47