Replacement skull "kus"

Description

wood,

The skulls of revered ancestors, as well as those of their enemies, are of great importance to the people of Papua New Guinea. This applies both to ancestor worship and to its use in initiation rituals, even in everyday life, where they can serve as headrest while asleep.

When a “real” skull was lost or destroyed, a wooden head called “kus” was carved to replace it.

In later years after head-hunting was banned by the authorities, wooden heads were used at initiation ceremonies in place of real and “freshly hunted” ones. The young initiate had to kill an enemy and “take” the head before entering the adult world.