Mah Meri - Kembar Mask

Sometimes big philosophies come from the little stories. A small work can represent the greatness of a major philosophy. Masks named Kembar of minority ethnic Mah Meri of Carey Island Malaysia is a special work can do that.

Kembar in the language of the Mah Meri means twin and has a soul (spirit) named Kembar of unique legendary treasure of this ethnic. Kembar spirit is described in the form of an asymmetric mask, a unique form of expression in the arts of masks making of Mah Meri people *.

Kembar mask of minority ethnic Mah Meri

Stories about Kembar spirit original from a case of twins. One particular family have a twin birth, when the two children grew up, the father remind them that the tall, thin guy is elder brother and low, fat guy is brother. They have to respect each other and not to quarrel when going to a forest because forests too dangerous for humans are divided.

Unlike the father desired, two children abusing one another, and then a fight going on because nobody want to become younger brother. Finally the elder brother won, but still did not subdue his younger brother. Yong brother insisted that he could become elder brother and tried to hang himself up to stretch the body to be able to quickly long. Year after year, pudgy body of his brother was not long as he wants because he cannot change his natural characters **.

Front side of mask under some view angles

The philosophy of this truism is expressed through iconic spirit Kembar, souls of twins, in the belief of the Mah Meri. Kembar's image is a face mask with right and side completely different, all identifying characteristics on the right are longer than the left. No one can exactly confirm is the side represent the elder brother and is the side represent the younger brother because the multi-meaning of the story. The meaning can easily notice that most twins do not mean they have same identical. Each man is a different entity, even if they are twins and we need to respect that because that is the natural order of the universe. It is modern thinking! I cannot understand why a small tribe has so big think. Perhaps the forest with its severe demand to be exists to promote the independence of people, thereby emphasizing personal characters of the individual man in the tribe.

Right side and left side of the mask

With a carefully inspection of the mask, the deeper meanings will appear gradually. There are two faces on this mask, the right face is human being face and the left side is the animal face, obviously cannot be confused. The artist created this work is really excellent in describing the details. Rounded and rough surface of man ears are on contact of pointed and flat long ears of animal. An eye slanted upward of animal is quite different when compared to the human eye and the animal check sagging down that not same man one. The emphasis lies in two sharp fangs, only animal have a pairs long fangs and so scary like that.

A comparision between animal face and right side of the mask

Is it in the deeper meaning, the mask would like to say in humanity always have bestiality and vice versa? Bestiality is the driving force of fight between twin brothers, though children of the same foetus they also inevitable animal nature inherently exists naturally in humans being. Bestiality and humanity is a twin style that Mah Meri people want to show in Kembar mask, the mask refers to their twin phenomenon.

Mah Meri means the forest man; the forest and wild animals are always present in their myths as standard indications for their behaviour with Mother Nature. Wild animal always be respected even if they have to kill them off because their existence. A wild animal is part of their lives. A wild animal is part of their soul. In this sense, the life of human being is one in the twin of people and beasts. So an animal face on a human face is quite natural that the spirit Kembar wants to express for modern humanity.

Notes: 

(*) The conceptions of the world of the Mah Meri people are interpreted in the form of the soul (spirit). These forms include wooden statues called moyang and masks called topeng. Actually moyang is the term used to describe ancestors of the Mah Meri, accurately world to call wooden statues is hantu, but the word is taboo because people fear the demon called Hantu appears when called his name.

(**) The story is refered at Mah Meri of Malysia Art and Culture by Roland Werner. 3rd publish. 1997, page 244.