Yipwon Ritual House Cult Figure

Art

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel

Name/Title

Yipwon Ritual House Cult Figure

Entry/Object ID

MK_0289

Description

Within the ranges of hills along the Karawari River, in northeast Papua New Guinea, the Alambak people crafted remarkable stylized anthropomorphic hook figures known as Yipwon. Their elegance is not merely aesthetic; it carries the weight of local oral tradition, weaving a narrative of origin and spiritual significance. According to the tales passed down through generations, the Yipwon traces its roots to the spirit of the Sun. As the Sun carved the first slit gong, the chipped wood pieces came to life, evolving into spirits cohabiting with the Sun in the men's ceremonial house. One fateful day, these spirits killed a male relative of the Sun and drank his blood, before stretching themselves against the wall of the house and turning back into wood. In angry retribution, the Sun ascended into the sky, while the Yipwon remained on earth as patron spirits of warfare and hunting. This particular Yipwon, one of three on display at the Mauna Kea, reflects the artistic finesse of the opposed-hooks style and boasts a human head in profile accompanied by a mesmerizing series of curvilinear forms below. This large, ornate Yipwon would have been a collective possession of clans, while smaller portable counterparts served as individual amulets. Carried in net bags by their owners, these charms and their linked larger Yipwons are believed to bring success in hunting and battle, embodying the intertwining threads of artistry, mythology, and spirituality within the diverse tapestry of New Guinea's cultural heritage. This treasured piece has been in the Mauna Kea's collection since 1965, when Laurance Rockefeller developed the hotel and was very recently restored.

Artwork Details

Medium

Wood

Made/Created

Artist

Artist unknown

Place

Region

Karawari Region

Country

New Guinea

Continent

Oceania

Dimensions

Height

67 in

Length

14 in

5th Floor

Building

Main Tower