Head sculpture

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Description

wood, dark brown patina, red and white pigment, narrow head with slanting face halves, culminating in the overlong nose ridge, ring-shaped eyes, mouth on the underside, on plug, slightly dam., cracks, water spots, base;
such wooden heads were used on harvest festivals of the Wosera, where they were attached to the yams, transforming them into ancestral spirits or “nggwal”. They are dressed in jewels and finery. The owners of the yams then proceed with a system of ceremonial exchange between partners. To give a bigger yam than the one recieved is to gain prestige. The reverse means a loss of face in a Big Man society where status is all important. Aside from sweet potato, taro and breadfruit, yams makes up the staple diet in most of Oceania.

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Comparing literature

Meyer, Anthony J.P., Ozeanische Kunst, Vol. I, Köln 1995, p. 275

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