Though unsigned, this eagle mask is attributed to carver Willie Marks (1901-1981), a member of the Tlingit tribe, a Northwest Coast indigenous group who live primarily in southeast Alaska. The Eagle is one of two descent groups, or moieties, that the Tlingit people divide into. […]
This Peruvian Siqlla mask comes from the Cusco region of the Peruvian Andes. It was used in the Danza Siqlla, also called Danza Wayra or Danza de los Doctorcitos. This dance takes place throughout the Department of Cusco, as well as in Bolivia, during the […]
The Jarai (also spelled Jorai, Jrai, or Giarai) people are an ethnic group indigenous to the central highlands of Vietnam. Today, there are fewer than 350,000 Jarai living in their homeland. They were allied with the United States during the Vietnam War, and during the […]
Prestige cloths like this one are sometimes referred to as Shoowa cloths, after the Shoowa people who make them. The Shoowa are part of the Kuba Kingdom and live primarily south of the Sankuru River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Shoowa prestige cloths […]
Hand-held fans have been used by people across the Pacific Islands for hundreds of years to keep cool in the tropical climate. People give fans as gifts and use them as decorative items to display in their homes. Dancers frequently carry fans as accessories to […]
This Maya cylinder vase dates to the Late Classic Period of 550 to 830 CE. The straight-walled shape of this vessel indicates that it was likely used to drink cacao, or chocolate, beverages. These bitter drinks were made with cacao beans, water, and spices like […]