Name/Title
May River Area ShieldEntry/Object ID
MK_0250Description
This rectangular wooden shield is another remarkable example of the artistry and cultural heritage of the Iatmul people from the Middle Sepik region of Papua New Guinea.
The Mauna Kea's collection, primarily featuring shields from this community, highlights just some of the unique traditions and craftsmanship of a region containing over 200 distinct communities. Maintaining each group's identity was strong among these peoples, as was the ability to protect the community from hostile groups. Sepik shields, each community with its own distinct design style, symbolized this power. The unique designs served a dual purpose: to spiritually empower the shields and to act as a form of psychological warfare, intimidating their tribal adversaries.
Thought to originate from the May river area of the Sepik river region, this long, rectangular wooden shield bears low-relief carvings featuring an abstract curvilinear design accented with red and black pigments, typical of the May river style.
One of the Mauna Kea's extensive collection of New Guinea shields, this piece's precise and beautiful craftsmanship demarcates it not only as a piece of art but as a tangible connection to the cultural and spiritual essence of the May river people.
This treasured piece has been in the Mauna Kea's collection since 1965, when Laurance Rockefeller developed the hotel, and was very recently restored.Made/Created
Place
Region
Middle Sepik RegionCountry
New GuineaContinent
OceaniaLocation
* Untyped Location
1st Floor Kohala EndFloor
1st FloorBuilding
Beach WingRoom
2nd Floor Art Storage Room* Untyped Location
2nd Floor Kohala EndFloor
2nd FloorBuilding
Beach WingRoom
Kamani RoomBuilding
HBR Main TowerFloor
1st FloorBuilding
Beach Wing