Friday, November 16, 2018

SINGAPORE ~ Mobile Mask Shop ~

... First of two nice totally different postcards of Singapore... a traditional paper mask seller sitting in front of his "overloaded" bicycle cart... they went from point to point on their bicycles... a vanishing trade.... demand for these paper masks has diminished as traditional rituals evolve over time and the toy of the day has changed... the paper mask sellers were interesting characters... their daily grind appeared to be a daunting circus act with the number of wares they carry on their mobile bicycle cart... one could only wonder how they maintained visibility of the road given the number of masks and puppets in their view...Thanks a lot Jobbo!!【ツ】
The paper mask is a traditional paper craft, which is a combination of deft painting skills and patience as each mask is hand-painted. Paper is mashed, moulded and painted into mask figureheads.

These paper masks were used as offerings to deities and spirits and in some cases, donned on during rituals. Popular designs included those of celestial bodies such as the Chinese God of War, Guan Gong.They were also commonly found during occasions and festivals such as the Chinese New Year in the prancing lion head and the big-head doll.

Stamp:

The 50th Anniversary of the National Service
(Issued 13-03-2017)

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