Male ancestor figure "kawe" ·  Westneuguinea / Westpapua (Irian Jaya), Asmat · ID: 3043430

Description

wood, lime, red ochre, black pigment, Job’s tear grass seeds, plant fibre, characteristic body forming and posture, incised sacrifications, slightly dam., missing parts, metal base.
Such figures are carved for the building of a new Men’s House and are left to decay after the inauguration ceremonies. They represent the first humans, or “asmat”. In the creation myth, a great cultural hero “fumeripit” carved many large human figures. As he began to play his drum, the figures came to life as the original people and formed the first clans.