Day of the Masks

Wander around south east London and one frequently sees no shortage of rubbish heaps. In a previous blog, Old Ken has touched on the subject of "fly tipping" a bit, so no need to belabor that point here. But, on one fine day earlier this fall, I came across the spectacle depicted above.



Whose head is this? Why these massive, gazing eyes? What of this hair adorned with cowrie shells and pulled back into cornrows? Given its size, I was imagining that this head must have been designed for a parade or street festival of some kind.



But wait; had the fun with masks and mannequins stopped there? No way!



Never one to hold back on the good stuff, the Horniman museum in Forest Hill had brought out part of its massive collection of masks for fondling.



And for some tom-foolery!



I think the occasion was to mark the re-opening of the museum's aquarium. Appropriately enough, then, we can see a local dolphin getting into the act, sporting a very creepy African mask.



"But what about animatronic eskimos?" I hear you asking. Good point.



It turns out that you have to go a little further out into south east London—indeed, all the way to the Whitgift Shopping Centre in delicious Croydon—for that specialty. But, man is it worth it. If that doesn't say "Seasons Greetings, Multicultural Britain!" I just don't know what does!