Junalinjojen

Junalinjojen are a set of ceremonial masks associated with the imagined Junari people of the northern highlands. In Junari tradition, the masks are believed to embody ancestral spirits and are central to autumn harvest rites and winter initiation ceremonies. The term is said to derive from Junari roots meaning “line” and “masks,” reflecting the marked linear designs that characterize the masks.

Construction and appearance vary by region, but common elements include carved wooden faces made from alder or birch, with geometric linework painted in mineral pigments and often accented by horsehair or cloth. Masks are typically crafted by skilled artisans known as linjari, who blend carving, painting, and ritual preparation. The most venerable masks are kept in family houses or village shrines and are not worn casually; they are brought out for specific ceremonial occasions and re-consecrated through ritual washing and anointment.

In performance, masked dancers wear the junalinjojen in ascending order of age and status. The procession is accompanied by drums, flutes, and singing, and the masks are believed to facilitate contact with spirits during the rite. Regional variants exist, with some communities emphasizing line-based patterns, others favoring stylized faces with symbolic motifs representing fertility, protection, or harvest abundance.

Preservation efforts focus on safeguarding traditional techniques and documents on regional variants. Museums and cultural centers sometimes host exhibitions that display finished masks and provide context on their ritual roles, construction methods, and the social responsibilities related to mask ownership and transmission.