Standing male ancestor figure "kawe" · Westneuguinea / Westpapua (Irian Jaya), Asmat · ID: 3038257
Description
light wood, white and red pigment, black paint, high towering figure with overlong limbs, incised scarification marks, pierced septum, slightly dam., abrasion of paint, rep. (both ankles, right hand), plate;
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 heroe “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.
The object Standing male ancestor figure “kawe” with the object ID 3038257 was last part of the auction 79th Tribal Art Auction at March 21, 2015 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 35 achieved a sales price of EUR 500.
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Comparing literature
Meyer, Anthony J.P., Ozeanische Kunst, Vol. I, Köln 1995, p. 82, ill. 62