Name/Title
Middle Sepik Ancestral FigureEntry/Object ID
MK_0283Description
The diverse peoples of the Middle Sepik River are organized into various clans, each tied to specific ancestors and totemic species: these totemic and ancestral beings are represented through wooden figures, designed in the form of potent and formidable ancestral beings known locally as wan or waken. Each figure, belonging to a particular clan, is named after a significant ancestor of that clan, and kept enshrined in men’s ceremonial houses.
This particular ancestral figure is carved intricately into a striking face with large, serrated eyes, and an open mouth with numerous teeth, with a low-relief bird adorned below and a small face carved into the top left side. Though the exact tribe and ancestor it is associated with is unknown to us, this figure nonetheless serves as a tangible connection to the intricate social and spiritual fabric woven by the diverse clans, their ancestors, and the totemic entities that shape their collective identity.
This treasured piece has been in the Mauna Kea's collection since 1965, when Laurance Rockefeller developed the hotel, and was very recently restored. Guests may have previously seen this peice displayed in the promenade corridor near the atrium where it is installed today.Made/Created
Place
Region
Middle Sepik RegionCountry
New GuineaContinent
OceaniaDimensions
Height
54-1/2 inLength
14 inLocation
Area
Promenade Level-AtriumFloor
Promenade LevelBuilding
Main TowerBuilding
IE Workshop* Untyped Location
OffsiteRoom
Lloyd Sexton Gallery (LSG)Floor
Promenade LevelBuilding
Main TowerArea
Promenade CorridorFloor
Promenade LevelBuilding
Main Tower