Club "ram" ("pokopoko" or "aul kubar") ·  Papua New Guinea - Bismarck Archipelago - New Britain - Tolai · ID: 3053747

Description

wood, pigments, base, handwritten collection number “Mag IV 124”

The Tolai refer to such objects as “pokopoko”, a collective term for ceremonial objects; the more specific term “ram” is also used in the literature. The clubs belonged to the chiefs and were used on special ceremonial occasions, particularly during festivities marking the end of a war. Their function thus went beyond that of a mere striking implement or weapon: they were an expression of rank, authority and the public affirmation of the social order.

Comparing literature

Hooper, Steven (ed.), Power and Prestige. The Art of Clubs in Oceania, Exhibition catalogue, Venice 2021, p. 256, ill. 108