Bushcow Face mask of the Do society (Siginkuru-Ayna)
"Something extraordinary is coming" is a chant preceding the hushed quiet before a Do dancer emerges in festive dress. Freshly repainted and adorned with jewelry, the face exemplifies feminine beauty. She is most often seen on important Islamic holidays such as Ramadan, when drumming, singing and dancing in fine clothes express the joy of the faithful that the period of fasting is over.
Wood, pigment
12 1/4 x 7 1/2 x 3 1/2 in. (31.1 x 19 x 8.9 cm)
Gift of Katherine White and the Boeing Company
81.17.264
Provenance: [Harry Franklin, Beverly Hills, California]; purchased from gallery by Katherine White (1929-1980), Seattle, Washington, 1965; bequeathed to Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington, 1981
Photo: Paul Macapia