Ancestor figure "kawe" ·  Westneuguinea / Westpapua (Irian Jaya), Asmat · ID: 3036173

Description

light wood, white, red and black pigment, scarification marks on body and face, rep. (arms/legs, right hand broken);
the deceased is depicted in shape of a praying mantis, respectively in the characteristic crouching posture of the insect. This motif, called “wenet”, is the Asmats symbol for headhunting par excellence, for the female of the praying mantis bites off its male partners head after the sexual act.