Name/Title
Middle Sepik Ancestral FigureEntry/Object ID
MK_0284Description
This intricate piece, depicting a carved wooden ancestral figure, is drawn from the upper section of a post from a men’s ceremonial in New Guinea's Middle Sepik River region. With a distinctive curved form, the stylized mask features circular eyes, repeated in a descending pattern below. Meanwhile, the face is characterized by a prominent nose and a mouth with a small protruding tongue, with the curved chin line mirrored in a small descending pattern below.
This post is one of many from the imposing men's ceremonial houses of the people of the Middle Sepik River region in northeast New Guinea. These ceremonial houses rely on substantial wooden posts for support, each adorned with depictions of animals, human-like figures, and geometric motifs. These representations encapsulate primordial beings and phenomena drawn from the oral traditions of the clans associated with the house, enhancing the house’s ceremonial significance. This post thus not only showcases the artistic skill of the Middle Sepik people but also serves as a visual narrative of the rich oral traditions and cultural heritage embedded within the men's ceremonial houses of the region.
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
63-1/2 inLength
12 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