Cult hook mask "garra"
Papua New Guinea - Hunstein Mountains, Bahinemo
sold
EUR 3,000
Provenance
Belgian CollectionJohn Giltsoff, Girona, Spain
Size
H: 87 cm
H: 34.3 inch
Description
wood, colour pigments, base
The designation “garra” refers to sacred items connected with the male cults. The Bahinemo keep their carvings hanging in men’s cult houses, where the older pieces are believed to have magical powers to protect the villagers. Their powers can be obtained for hunting and fighting by means of certain rituals.
The hooks are seen as stylized hornbill beaks which aside of their decorative effect have a symbolic meaning. Throughout South-East Asia, the Great Hornbill is related to the soul, the ancestor and the spirit world.