PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Gela Mask
By Alexis DiTullio & Sadie Slaughter
DIMENSIONS
- L= 31 7/8 inches
- W= 18 inches
- H= 10 15/16 inches
LOCATION
- Seattle art museum Seattle WA
MATERIALS
- Wood, raffia, cloth
- Teeth, feathers, hair
- Fiber cord, cowrie shells
- Mud, and pigment
Credit
Courtesy of the Seattle Art Museum, Gift of Katherine White and the Boeing Company, Photo by Pamela McCluskey
The term gela refers to the animated being comprised of face mask, costume, or wearer beneath.
The gela mask is known as "the ancient one" suggesting that it was passed down through generations
Festivals feature dancing and performances focused on the figure of the gela
It is believed that gela can gather up the ill will and negative feelings plaguing a community and deposit them back into the forest, where the untamed forces of nature prevail
The wee are known as healers for their skilled use of forest plants with medicinal value.
The same plants are pounded, mixed with water, and applied to the gela mask in a ritual of activation.
After the activation ritual the mask is invested with the spiritual power and vital energy of the forest
