Bhutan Ceremonial Mask Dragon Handcarved Wood Dance Ceremony
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:16975200 | Provenance: Ownership History Available |
| Handmade: Yes | Country/Region of Manufacture: Bhutan |
Bhutan Ceremonial Mask Dragon Handcarved Wood Dance Ceremony
Tucked away between China and India, Bhutan, the “Land of the Thunder Dragon” only opened up to influences from the outside in the late ’90s. Travelers benefit from Bhutan fiercely protecting its culture and ancient traditions and can observe the religious dance festivals called Tshechus.Since the 17th-century, these celebrations are held every year on the grounds of a monastery throughout the country. Don’t miss t...his cultural spectacle and start planning your trip to Bhutan now. The next Paro Tshechu Festival is going to take place from April 4-8, 2020. It always begins on the tenth day of the second Bhutanese lunar month.For five days the Buddhist monks wear colorful costumes and masks and perform the 1, 300-year-old mystical chams, which is Tibetan for “a dance”. The monks meditate for days before the performances, gearing up to transform evil into a blessing for the world through dancing. Often the performers wear masks made of hardwood and painted mostly red with yellow, blue, white and black. The dances are grouped into three main categories. There are the dramatic dances that promote morale, dances that cleanse and shield sites from harmful spirits, and dances that celebrate Buddhist victories. The dancers take on the roles of both enraged and kindhearted deities, heroes, demons, and animals. Their movements tell stories about history and fantasy.I was lucky to visit Bhutan in 2010. This mask was one of the treasures I saw being made at a cultural center. The center makes both the large masks worn by dancers and the smaller masks used as home decor. The mask is hand carved and hand painted. The mask measures approximately 6”/5” and usually hangs in the home as a good luck charm.
Tucked away between China and India, Bhutan, the “Land of the Thunder Dragon” only opened up to influences from the outside in the late ’90s. Travelers benefit from Bhutan fiercely protecting its culture and ancient traditions and can observe the religious dance festivals called Tshechus.Since the 17th-century, these celebrations are held every year on the grounds of a monastery throughout the country. Don’t miss t...his cultural spectacle and start planning your trip to Bhutan now. The next Paro Tshechu Festival is going to take place from April 4-8, 2020. It always begins on the tenth day of the second Bhutanese lunar month.For five days the Buddhist monks wear colorful costumes and masks and perform the 1, 300-year-old mystical chams, which is Tibetan for “a dance”. The monks meditate for days before the performances, gearing up to transform evil into a blessing for the world through dancing. Often the performers wear masks made of hardwood and painted mostly red with yellow, blue, white and black. The dances are grouped into three main categories. There are the dramatic dances that promote morale, dances that cleanse and shield sites from harmful spirits, and dances that celebrate Buddhist victories. The dancers take on the roles of both enraged and kindhearted deities, heroes, demons, and animals. Their movements tell stories about history and fantasy.I was lucky to visit Bhutan in 2010. This mask was one of the treasures I saw being made at a cultural center. The center makes both the large masks worn by dancers and the smaller masks used as home decor. The mask is hand carved and hand painted. The mask measures approximately 6”/5” and usually hangs in the home as a good luck charm.
