Head sculpture "malagan"
Description
heavy wood, remains of paint with red, black and white pigment, characterized by a broad mouth with bare teeth and big disc-shaped eyes, crowned by a two-winged head crest, carrying a composite being of bird and fish inbetween, originally painted with curvilinear ornaments, slightly dam., missing parts, cracks, paint rubbed off, rep. (on the left wing of the head crest);
from its size and from the fact that it is not designed to be worn on the head, this “malagan” head might be determined as one of the powerful “malaganivis” heads which are used as the central symbol during the transfer of ownership of a group of “malagans” from one generation to the next. A “malaganivis” head is used in the centre of the raised transfer platform which is set up and placed to one side of the main “malagan” display house. At the climax of the transference ceremony, two senior “malagan” men kneel down on each side of the “malaganivis” head. The coconut leaf screen which separates them from the two rows of initiates is pulled down and to the dominating beat of the “garamut” slit drum they lead the initiates in the final dance of the transfer of ownership of all the “malagan” art works on display.