Hands Around the World

 

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South America

Ecuador

Quichua Indians 

This mask is hand made by the Quichua Indians of the Andes Mountains in Ecuador. It is a traditional mask worn during the dancing for the Corn Harvest Festival. It has a face on the back of the mask as well as on the front. This is so that the evil spirits cannot follow the dancer. This mask is very traditional and collectible.

Approx. 17 1/2" x 14". Item EcD1393 - $46.99

 

Venezuela

Yekuana Indians [more about the Yekuana Indians]

The Yekuana (Yeh-qua-nah) Indians are a very traditional tribe living along the riverbanks in the Amazon rain forest in Venezuela. The Yekuana are the tribe described by South Americans as "finished," meaning that they have an advanced culture. They are very intelligent and amicable. They are known as the best bongo makers, burning the center out of huge trees to make the dugout canoes not only for their own people, but other tribes in the area. They are also known as the most skilled basket weavers. They also are master wood carvers making masks, ritual weapons, stools, and sculpture.

 

Piaroa Indians [more about the Piaroa Indians]

The Piaroa Indian tribe is very traditional in its celebrations and dancing. The masks and figures below are made for the Warime dance which is a yearly cleansing ceremony as well as an initiation ceremony for young men. Participants cover themselves totally in bark or fiber costumes with masks that represent animal or mythological spirits. Masks and figures are intricately made with a basket form which is then covered in beeswax molded to the characters they wish. Details are painted in clay and a fiber or bark fringe is added. Small masks are worn on the hands like puppets. Mask and figure making is done only by men. A special hut is built in which the men make the masks in the weeks preceding the ceremony. The process is guarded from the women of the tribe. Only a few Piaroa are still mask makers. Because it is a dying art, these are rare and unusual collector's items.

 

Guahibo Indians [more about the Guahibo Indians]

Guahibo Indians (Gwah-hee-boh) live in the Amazon Basin of South America. Both men and women make a variety of handcrafts. The women make dolls from bark and fiber, decorated with seeds. They also weave baskets and hair barrettes using a coil technique with  fibers found in the rain forest as well as traditional skirts and dresses with cloth made of pounded palm fibers. The Guahibo men are accomplished wood carvers, carving ritual weapons or sculptures.

Guahibo Indian dolls are hand made and feature dresses of pounded bark or loose or woven fibers. These dolls include a fiber string on the head so that the little girls can "put them away" by hanging them with the other family belongings.

10" tall. Item VzD1954c - $17.50

These dolls feature a woven dress of fiber. No two alike they average from 8" to 10" tall. Item VzD860 - $11.50	These dolls feature dresses made of pounded bark cloth. No two alike they average from 8" to 10" tall. Item VzD859 - $13.75

 

 

Peru

Dolls were often buried in the tombs of the Incan Indians of Peru. They would signify motherhood, crossing the river of death, and other things. These dolls are hand made in the style of the Incan dolls using all antique fabrics collected from the Peruvian Andes mountains. The bits of fabric must be seen to be appreciated. Some of the fabrics are very old making these dolls fascinating and highly collectible.

19" tall. Item PrD1116 - $57.99	Four dolls connected with a hanging strap, approx. 6 1/4" x 5 3/4". Item PrD774a - $12.99
Man with a flute, approx. 9" tall. No two alike. Item PrD774b - $12.99	Woman with a baby, approx. 10" tall. No two alike. Item PrD774d - $12.99

 

 

A huge variety of colorful finger puppets, all hand knit in Peru. Ave. size 3" to 4". Item PrD15 - $2.75 each

 

Mexico

Huichol Indians [more about the Huichol Indians]

The Huichol are the most traditional Indian tribe in Mexico today. They live in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Central Mexico. Their villages are very isolated and insular. They still dress in the traditional fashion and follow their native belief systems. 

 

The dance of the Little Old Men is a traditional dance performed in the Sierra Madre mountains of Mexico by the Indians in the area of Patzcuaro. The humorous dance was meant to make fun of the government officials sent to the area by the Spaniards. Usually the Spaniard sent old men to govern this isolated area of Mexico hence the portrayal of the Spaniards as feeble old men with canes. These figures are made of hand carved wood and set on a wooden base. Their clothing features hand woven and embroidered details. They also wear a tiny straw hat festooned with ribbons. Note the very pink skin and hooked nose, the long white hair is made of natural fibers. Each stands approx. 9 inches tall with no two exactly alike.

Item MxD229b - $27.25	Item MxD229c - $27.25

 

 

 

Burma (Myanmar)

Traditional marionettes from Burma. They are of hand carved and painted wood. The clothing is also hand made and trimmed in the traditional method of using sequins, gold beads and gold threaded embroidery. This type of hand work was once used only in the royal palaces of Burma.

Elephant Marionette, approx. 7" x 7". Item BmD626a - $35.25	Elephant Marionette, approx. 7" x 7". Item BmD626b - $35.25

This is the traditional "angel" figure. It comes in a variety of colors and is approx. 14" tall. Item BmD625a - $32.75	This is the traditional "monkey" figure. It comes in a variety of colors and is approx. 14" tall. Item BmD625b - $32.75	This is the traditional "demon" figure. It comes in a variety of colors and is approx. 15" tall. Item BmD625c - $32.75

 

 

Thailand

 

Hmong Hilltribe of Northern Thailand

The Hmong are divided into two sub-groups found in the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. This ethnic group originates in western China. For a long time the Hmong have supported themselves by the cultivation of the opium poppy. Most of the Hmong people are turning from opium growing, and are now seeking to market their exquisite needlework in order to supplement their income. Hmong women traditionally make clothing for their families. Their clothing is richly decorated with magnificent embroidery and silver jewelry. Blue Hmong women wear pleated skirts with bands of red, blue and white that are intricately embroidered. Jackets are of black satin, with wide embroidered cuffs. They also may traditionally add piece work and pleating to their work. A traditional motif is an appliquéd sun. Much of the embroidery is done with very tiny cross stitching.

 

 

 

Indonesia

 

Sulawesi - Torajaland

The island of Sulawesi is a part of  Indonesia. The most traditional area on the island is called Torajaland or Tana Toraja which means people of the mountains. In this mountainous area many people still follow the way of the ancestors. The most important event in their lives is their death when their souls are released. A Torajan funeral is a very expensive affair. Sometimes the body will be kept at home for months to years in order to save for a funeral. When the person is buried, a life like sculpture of them is carved. These effigy's are called Tau Tau. Tau Tau serve an important function for both the dead and the living. They are placed at the graves and also in the homes to protect and bless the living.

 

This beautifully carved Tau Tau is a pregnant house Tau Tau. This effigy would guard over the household and family, particularly any members that are pregnant. The left hand is held vertically to ward off evil from the family and the right is held flat to receive blessings. The forearms are removable and held in with wooden pegs. This rare and collectible Tau Tau stands 22" tall.  Item TrD1847 - $232.00

Close up showing the decorative carving on the breasts, stomach, and wrists.

 

Grandfather and Grandmother Tau Tau set of hand carved wood, fabric, and fiber. Figures stand approx. 10 1/2" tall. Item TrD1797b - $42.75

 

 

Lombok

Lombok is a very traditional island in Indonesia. They have a long tradition of mask making. Their masks are hand carved of wood and often inlaid with mother of pearl. They also paint them using traditional designs.

 

Dolls or human figures are hand carved on the island of Lombok. Traditionally they are carved from bone, buffalo horn, and/or wood and are often trimmed with horse hair.

Hand carved bone, approx. 4 1/4" tall. Item LmD1959 - $5.75 each.	Anatomically correct hand carved bone with horse hair, approx. 6" tall. Item LmD864a - $7.25 each.
Anatomically correct hand carved wood and bone with horse hair, approx. 9 1/4" tall. Item LmD382a - $13.00	Anatomically correct hand carved wood and bone with horse hair, approx. 9" tall. Item LmD382b - $13.00

 

 

These Budda masks are of wood, hand carved in Bali.

XLg. white washed, approx. 20" tall. Item BaD578 - $48.75	XLg. gold leaf, approx. 22" tall. Item BaD573 - $53.25

Gold leaf, approx. 10" tall. Item BaD698 - $34.25	Natural wood, approx. 10" tall. Item BaD588a - $26.75	White washed, approx. 10" tall. Item BaD588a - $26.75

 

 

These beautiful Java masks are in natural light wood. Hand carved, no two are exactly alike. Approx. 10" tall - Item BaD126 - $19.75

 

These Pinocchio marionettes are all hand carved of wood and hand painted in Bali. Some have cloth clothing.

Sm. Pinocchio with clothes is available with red or green clothing. Approx. 9" tall. Item BaD824 - $17.50

Xlg.Painted Pinocchio is approx. 21 1/2" tall. Item BaD978 - $38.75

 

 

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