Art of the Pacific Islands

1. Art of the Pacific Islands Mask, 20th CenturyBaining people; Gazelle Peninsula, East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea, MelanesiaBark cloth, bamboo cane, paint, raffia and feather; 57 3/8 x 18 1/4 x 27 1/2 in.2009.1.3Collected on behalf of the Bowers Museum by the Roski-Keller-Martin Expedition

2. Oceania

3. Kuijlen Island, Marshall Islands, Micronesia Palm leaf midribs, fiber and cowrie shell • Wayfinding is the ability of peoples of the Pacific to accurately travel long distances across the ocean from island to island. • This is an example of a map of Micronesia • The lines show ocean currents, and the white shells indicate the location of islands.

4. Canoe Prow Ornament (NguzuNguzu), 19th century New Georgia Group, Solomon Islands, Melanesia Wood, mother-of-pearl and paint; 12 5/8 x 3 5/8 x 6 3/4 in. • This figure would have been placed on the front of a canoe. • Canoes were very important to the peoples of the Pacific Ocean. • Canoes were symbols of wealth and prestige, and were essential for travel and trade. • The occupants of the canoe would be protected by the spirit of this figure.

5. Carved and Painted Bird, New Ireland, donated to the Whitby Museum by Captain W Readman in 1928 • This appears to be the form of frigate bird, which is a very aggressive bird. • If this were attached to the prow of a canoe, the occupants of the canoe would be protected by the spirit of the bird. • The vivid blue paint color  was probably made from ground Lapis Lazuli pigment

6. Bowl, 19th century, Marquesas Islands, Polynesia Wood; 7 x 18 x 18 in. Bowers Museum General Acquisition Fund Purchase Bread Fruit Pounder, 19th Century Tahiti, PolynesiaBasalt stone; 5 3/4 x 3 3/8 x 3 1/4 in.Gift of Edward M. Smith

7. Carved Wooden Figure, Late nineteenth or early twentieth century, carved wood with Abalone shell eyes • Explorers and adventurers have collected Pacific Island art and artifacts since the first Europeans sailed around the world. Who are today’s adventurers? • Why do you think this man is wearing European style clothes instead of native islander apparel? • Why do you think his eyes are made from shells?

8. War Shield, 20th CenturyWogamus people; Sitipa River, Hunstein Mountain region, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, MelanesiaWood and paint; 79 x 19 1/4 x 3 1/2 in.Anonymous Gift to Bowers Museum War Shields War Shield, early 20th CenturyAbau people; Green River, Upper Sepik River area , Sandaun (West Sepik) Province, Papua New Guinea, New Guinea, MelanesiaKofekan tree root and paint; 58 3/4 x 29 1/2 x 3 in.Anonymous gift to Bowers Museum

9. Over Modeled Skull, 20th CenturyIatmul people; Kaminibit, Middle Sepik area, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, MelanesiaHuman skull, clay, pigment, shell, human hair, seed and metal; 5 5/16 x 7 1/2 x 8 3/4 in.Gift to Bowers Museum of Mr. JuriRipinsky • Many Oceanic peoples believed that the head was the center of the soul, the place of a person’s power. • In some tribes in New Guinea, the heads of enemies or ancestors were kept in order to obtain power in the community or over their enemies. • This skull was over modeled with clay, and then painted and embellished with shells, seeds and human hair.

10. Skull Hook (Agiba), 19th–early 20th century, Papua New Guinea; Wood, paint; H. 55 7/8 x W. 29 1/2 x D. 5 in. (141.9 x 74.9 x 12.7; The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Gift of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1969, Metropolitan Museum of Art Agiba • Skull hooks like this one were used to display trophy skulls within the men’s ceremonial houses. • Skulls of slain enemies were hung from the agiba with loops of rattan. • This display was a shrine, a source of spiritual power, and a display of the clan’s skill in war.

11. The Art of AdornmentLeft: Hat, 20th CenturySouthern Highlands Province or New Ireland Province, Papua New Guinea, MelanesiaFeather and fiber; 12 1/2 x 16 x 11 in.Anonymous GiftLower Left: Necklace(Wäsekaseka), 18th – 19th century, Fiji, Polynesia Sperm whale teeth and fiber; 13 x 12 3/4 x 1 5/8 in. Don and Barbara Greek Fund Purchase Below: Homan Tooth Necklace (Vuasagale), 18th – 19th Century, Figi, Polynesia, Human tooth and fiber

12. Doorboard (Amitung), 20th century Telefol people; Telefomin village, Upper Sepik River region, Sandaun (West Sepik) Province, Papua New Guinea, Melanesia Wood and paint; 109 x 33 1/2 x 1 1/8 in. Bowers Museum General Acquisition Fund Purchase Photograph courtesy of Michael Hamson Oceanic Art Sepik River Men’s House • Peoples along the Sepik River built special Spirit Houses where rituals were performed and powerful spiritual items were kept. • Only warriors were allowed to enter the Spirit House and take part in the ceremonies that took place there.

13. Face Mask, Pacific Islands, probably New Ireland, 19th – 20th century, carved wood, painted, with a large crested headdress of trade clothes, coconut fiber, bark and string. Masks • This mask was used for ceremonies performed by clans that were memorial rites for the dead and initiation rites for young men. • What do you think “memorial” and “initiation” rites were about?

14. Body Mask (Didagur), 20th CenturyBlackwater/Lower Korewari River area, Middle Sepik River region, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, MelanesiaFiber, raffia, cassowary feather and paint; 41 x 16 1/4 x 25 7/8 in.Gift to Bowers Museum of Mr. Paul M. Harris • In the Pacific Islands, masks were worn by dancers in many kinds of ceremonies. • Masked dancers represented supernatural forces. • Some masks, like this one, were worn with a costume that covered the dancer’s entire body.

15. Baining Fire Dance Mask, 20th century Baining people, Gazelle Peninsula, East New Britain Province Papua New Guinea, Melanesia Bark cloth, bamboo cane, paint, raffia and feather 49 ¾ x 30 5/8 x 26 1/2 “ • Spiritual leaders believed that masks and dances were the way to connect with the spirit world and control the spiritual and physical world around them • By dancing into being the spirit, men had a chance to increase their chances of survival.

16. Watch this video taken by Bowers President Peter Keller on the island of New Britain, Papua New Guinea that features the Fire Dance Mask Festival. Several of the large spirit masks seen in this performance were collected on behalf of the museum. and can be viewed in the Spirits and Headhunters exhibition.