by Sheri Anne Masuda
The Hawaiian gourd mask has very distinct features that are consistent with other headdresses worn by the chief or ali?i of old Hawaii. A hollow gourd is the main piece of the mask. The brown gourd covers a person?s entire head similar to a protective helmet. The front of the mask has an opening, allowing the person to see and breathe. The opening is similar to the shape of a short dumbbell or a figure eight. It consists of two symmetrical circles connected with a wide but short horizontal cut out. This horizontal section is centered between the two circles. It is wide and just long enough to expose the person?s nose. A circle is formed beginning from each end of the nose cut out. The circle traces around the person?s eyebrow, then circling around the cheek bone, then finally connecting at the bottom of the horizontal nose section without exposing the person?s mouth.