Ancestor board "gope" · Papua New Guinea - Golf, Kerewa · ID: 3032503
Eric Fortess, Hawaii, USA
Description
wood, black and red paint, white pigment, lancet-shaped back, carved with the figure of a stylized ancestor spirit in flat relief, accentuation of the nose bridge, repeated circle motif, slightly dam., minor missing parts, traces of insect caused damage backside;
there are three types of ancestral tablets. Present one belongs to the type of personal “gope” boards “obina ebiha”, which are owned by individuals. These represent named ancestors and are stored in the communal Men’s House. Young boys have small “gope” boards which are unnamed and which hang on the walls of their homes. They are supposed to help the boys grow towards the time of adulthood. They loose their potency at initiation. The most important gope is the large “darimo ebiha”, of which one exists for each clan.
Comparing literature
Meyer, Anthony J.P., Ozeanische Kunst, Vol. I, Köln 1995, p. 117