Show odd masks worn at festivals for dead one of the queer and interesting customs of dark skinned inhabitants of the south sea islands Is the festival in honor of their dead at their festivals masks of 0 grotesque appearance play an important part says the detroit news A collection of puch cuch masks has been made for the american museum ot of natural history one of them resembles a crested helmet masks of this type lt it Is said must be carved in secret and presented to the public view only during the funeral ceremonies cere mordes the crest of the mask represents an all earlier custom of of the natives when they were in mourning in the early days they shaved their heads on such occasions leavin leaving only a single singie ridge of hair one particular type has long processes the face la in carved from wood and the fibrous parts of plants are used in work lUIE out the other parts of the head with such masks maska bark Is in used as a covering tor for the neck haska from the calaide peninsula new britain are made from the facial bones of skulls the ilie flesh Is removed and replaced by sticky lumps of earth |