New Mexico
Southwest / Acoma

Wood, deer hide & hair, pigment, sinew
ca. 1930’s
Height: 5 in, Diameter: 9 in
Membranophone – Struck Membranophone 

A vintage Pueblo of Acoma small hand drum from New Mexico.  Painted on one side of this cylinder form two-headed drum is a dance mask, with “Acoma Dance Mask” printed in black at the bottom of the drumhead.  The drum is also signed:  “Indian Handmade by Winona.”  The sides of the drum retain deer hide and fur that is stitched to the drum with sinew.  Deer hide is most often used for making moccasins.

The painted mask on the drumhead shows pigments that are used to set the dancer apart from his ordinary, human self and to give him the immortality of the gods as long as he wears them in ceremony.