Name/Title
Yipwon Cult Hook FigureEntry/Object ID
MK_0495Description
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 peirce 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.Made/Created
Place
Country
New GuineaContinent
OceaniaDimensions
Height
38-1/2 inWidth
2-1/2 inLength
5 inLocation
Area
5th Floor Mauka-South WingFloor
5th FloorBuilding
Main TowerBuilding
IE Workshop* Untyped Location
OffsiteRoom
2nd Floor Art Storage RoomFloor
2nd FloorBuilding
Beach WingRoom
Engineering AtticFloor
Promenade LevelBuilding
Main TowerFloor
5th FloorBuilding
Main Tower