False face, this is a mask from the Iroquois Indians or commonly known as the Woodland Indians and they actually live up in the Northeastern part of the United States. And the false face is part of a healing society and this particular false face, face mask is called dripping mouth for obvious reasons and they have other ones called spoon bill mouth and a smiling mouth.
And there’s an interesting story that goes with the false face mask and it’s part of Iroquois mythology way back, way, way, way back in ancient times, there was a giant and his name was False Face. And he was kind of a bragger, into used to get into these contest with the creator and one time, they were, he was bragging, standing in front of the creator and saying that he can move this mountain and the creator laughed at him and said there’s no way you can move that mountain, he said, oh yes there is. And False Face concentrated as hard as he could and he was actually able to move the mountain, oh maybe a fraction of an inch, I just think about it and as he turned around to start bragging to the creator about this wonderful feat he had just accomplished, the creator moved that mountain behind false face and as he turned around to start bragging, the mountain was there smacked right in his face and False Face always appears with a kind of distorted face as if his features are crushed by the mountain. So after he had his face crushed up against the mountain, he begged the creator to forgive him and give him another chance. So the creator said, all right, well, here’s what’s going to happen, you’re going to have to travel around the rim of the earth for eternity healing sickness in the people down on earth. So False Face is oftentimes pictured as this big giant traveling around the rim of the earth and he carries a big staff in one hand which actually a tree; trunk of a tree. And then in his other hand, he has a rattle which is actually a giant tortoise that’s been made into; the shell has been made into a rattle and he walks around the earth, shaking his rattle to scare away diseases and different illnesses that attack people.
Now false face became a society or kind of like the local doctors in the village and if you’re a member of the false face society, you actually have a dream and in your dream you’re suppose to envision what your mask is going to look like because when you go into the village and you start healing people, you have to have a mask. So after the person dreams, they go out into the woods and they start to carve the vision that they’ve had in their dream; they carve this mask on a basswood tree. And as they finish it, if the mask is finished in the evening and then actually choose aloft a tree, the mask is painted black like this one. And then the mouth and some of the decorations are painted in red.
Now if the mask is finished in the morning and carved off the tree chiseled then the mask is painted red. Now the masks always have around their eyes, some kind of metal that reflects and it’s supposed to really reflect a way bad spirits that might be present because as the false face healer is dancing around the sick person, there’s a fire burning and the fire; the flames of the fire reflected in their eyes as they’re dancing around and saying the prayers and the blessings they need to say to help this person get better.
So that’s kind of a quick version of the false face society and these people still make these masks and they still perform the ceremonies and collectors can purchase masks that have actually been blessed and this particular mask is just made for the Taurus and has not been blessed but they actually put a little note on here asking you not to wear this mask, say for like Halloween or mess around with it because it is something that’s very sacred to the Iroquois Indians.
So we’re actually going to make some small little carved false face masks and I’ll tell you some of the materials that you’re going to need.
The material I have here for the carving is called balsa foam and it’s easy to find in your local art store and all you need to carve on it is some craft sticks or a little plastic knife that you buy in the grocery store and some tooth picks. You’re going to need some black and red paint; acrylic paint works best. You’re going to need a brush for painting and you’re going to need either a silver Sharpie or a silver paint marker for coloring the silver, the metallic part around false faces eyes. And lastly you’re going to want to have some yarn, if you have some scraps around the house or some older raffia; this is great for the hair.
So, I’ve got a piece already cut and the balsa foam cuts real easily with like a serrated knife, a kitchen knife, no problem, everything’s real easy to work with so. So I’m going to get my little plastic knife out and a crafts stick and you’ll see how we use these different tools to do different jobs when we’re making these little masks.
Transcription by:
Scribe4you Transcription Services