Research & Collaboration

Konronsha is committed not only to the preservation and public presentation of its collection, but also to its use as a resource for academic research.

In recent years, we have provided collection images and research support for studies in the fields of medical anthropology and ethnology. In addition to preserving and making our collection accessible, we hope to continue supporting the scholarly use of these materials through collaboration with researchers, museums, and academic institutions.

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Research on Himalayan Sickness Masks by Peter De Smet

A Himalayan sickness mask preserved in the Konronsha Collection was referenced in the international research project 4P-Project (Patients, Practitioners, Practices, Plant Drugs) conducted by Dutch medical anthropologist Peter A.G.M. De Smet.

The collection was formally credited within the publication as:

"Image credit: Yusuke Tagami, KonRon-Sha Collection, JP"

Peter De Smet's research examines sickness masks from various regions of the world, exploring how different cultures have understood illness and misfortune, and how these concepts have been expressed through masks, ritual practices, and visual culture.

The mask from the Konronsha Collection is introduced as an example of a goitre mask created by the Monpa people of Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India.

The study argues that sickness masks should not be understood merely as representations of pathology, but rather within the broader context of local beliefs, ritual practices, and cultural understandings of disease.

This perspective also offers valuable insights for comparative studies of disease-related religious traditions, including Japanese beliefs surrounding epidemic deities such as Gozu Tennō and the legend of Somin Shōrai, as well as the worship of the smallpox goddess Śītalā in India.

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Related Publications

Peter A.G.M. De Smet
4P-21: Why Do Sickness Masks Portray Signs of Sickness
https://www.academia.edu/143824918/

A general study examining the cultural background and meanings behind the creation of sickness masks in different parts of the world.

Peter A.G.M. De Smet
4P-22a: Nature and Geographical Distribution of Sickness Masks — General Introduction
https://www.academia.edu/144199239/

An introductory paper outlining the broader framework of sickness mask research.

Peter A.G.M. De Smet
4P-22c: Nature and Geographical Distribution of Sickness Masks — Asia
https://www.academia.edu/144199342/

A study focusing on sickness masks found throughout Asia.

Mask No. 1778 from the Konronsha Collection — a Himalayan sickness mask of the Monpa people from Arunachal Pradesh — is illustrated and discussed in this publication.