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How were New Caledonian masks designed and worn?

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dilly bag; Aboriginal Australian art, Northern Territory, Australia — Oceanic art and architecture An Aboriginal Australian decorating a tightly woven dilly bag with white, yellow, and ochre (red) paints, Northern Territory, Australia, 1948.

In New Caledonia, mask design and construction vary significantly by region, reflecting distinct artistic traditions.1

Northern New Caledonian Masks

Masks from the north are characterized by long, wooden faces featuring:
* Strongly arched eyebrows and glaring, often bean-shaped eyes.1
* Prominent, crescent-shaped, toothy mouths.1
* Noses that project forward like a large parrot beak or appear as prominent, rounded, and bulging shapes.1

Southern New Caledonian Masks

Masks from the south are typically square with flatter, angular features. These ensembles are highly elaborate, consisting of:
* Horizontal, slotted mouths decorated with red seeds.1
* A beard made of human hair hanging from the chin.1
* A cylindrical basket topped with a mop of human hair crowning the head.1
* A cloak of black feathers that completes the costume.1

Dancers wearing these southern masks are said to have impersonated ancestral water spirits. While these masks are distinct, their stylistic elements—such as specific facial features and clothing—are sometimes mirrored in the architectural carvings found on the posts of local ceremonial houses.1