IDOT
Joined: Jan 12, 2004
Posts: 501
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IDOT
Today's topic: Weavings
"Yam Masks shown above come from Papua New Guinea. These hand woven masks are ancestral spirit images used to decorate, consecrate, and celebrate the ancestors at the yam harvest festival. Ceremonial yams grow up to 12 feet long. A man's status is judged by his ability to grow the biggest yams. During the festival, the yams are decorated with masks, flowers, fruit, and leaves until they resemble men at the last stage of initiation and are put on display in the village. These yam 'men' are believed to be present as living beings capable of hearing and seeing. A man does not keep his yams but exchanges them with his traditional exchange partner. The partner with the biggest yams is seen to have the most power. Men make the basketry masks they put on the yams and paint them with clay pigments and natural paints."
Closeups of Asmat matting
"I have rarely located asmat weavings. These 3 mats above are beautiful examples of this art, all handwoven and painted with natural pigments and wonderful primitive designs."
"Another interesting woven bag I found in PNG above. This is a close up. We believe it is woven out of pandarus leaves but not 100% sure."
"Above again, a great pattern from Borneo. These are used as traditional gathering bags."
"Only made by one family of one village in Bali, these woven baskets each have great motifs woven out of palm. Styles are very different everywhere on each island. It is very interesting."
"Last but not least, the traditional cock fighting storage basket used all over Java and Bali among other places to store fighting roosters before events. These roosters are armed with spurs for defense, often painted (the roosters that is) in bright colors such as blue and hot pink for effect!"
[ Edited by: I dream of tiki 2009-02-21 22:34 ]
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