The Kore is the last of the six initiation societies. These societies, run by a few elders, act in political, economic, and medical capacity and
exercise social control over the community. Initiation for men lasts for 7 years & ends
with their symbolic death & their rebirth to teach them that bodily death does not
mean suffering and finality, it means union with God. The Kore teaches self knowledge,
and the doctrine that they undergo endless reincarnations. But, without the help of the
Kore, every time he returns to the earth, God removes from the reincarnated person
a portion of his spiritual nature, and keeps it in heaven. Therefore, if uninitiated, after
a certain number of reincarnations, the deity will become completely reabsorbed.
To avoid this, the Kore society seeks to achieve the assimilation with God to ensure
countless reincarnations. This entails enduring the intensive training period into one
of the 8 classes of the Kore. This is a Kore Duga mask, and represents the spiritual
joys & pleasures experienced by those who reach the stage of union with God.
Ex. Scott Rodolitz and Ex. Christopher and Genevieve McConnell collection.
Age cracks, split in mouth and area of horn missing.
Height: 20 ½" x Width: 6 ⅞" x Depth: 6 ½" - on its 10" square base it is 28 ½" in height.
