Share your Papua New Guinea pieces - Collecting Tiki

UT uncle trav Tiki Socialite Kalamazoo Joined: Apr 27, 2005 Posts: 2465	UT uncle trav Posted posted on Sat, Mar 1, 2014 5:13 PM I picked this guy up a few years back. I just got around to taking a good look at it and researching what it was used for. A big part of collecting for me is finding out as much as I can about an item. I'm no expert just curious. It appears to be an Aripa, also called a Kamanggabi from the Arambak people. They live in they Korewori river area of the lower Sepik region. Here is a description of how they carving was used. "Aripa are considered living beings who communicate with men and animals. Male Aripa help initiated men in hunting and warfare. Some are owned by individuals and some by clans. The sculptures may have been placed in the caves in memory of their owners or to accompany the bones of the deceased along with other bone mementos from successful hunts and wars. Before a hunt, a man smears his carving with his own blood and animal excrement. Red betel nut juice might be spit on the carving. These actions appeal to the Aripa for help. That night, the invisible soul of the Aripa hunts. If the hunter's plea was successful, the Aripa will later direct him to his prey. The hunter presents the Aripa with bits of the meat after the kill. Similar rituals were used for war." The beauty of the carving it's what caught my eye at first and I was sure it was a PNG piece. The dollar price tag seal the deal. I have read that these carvings were smoked to give them a weather resistant coating and this one has a nice coating. Has nice wear along the back wear it has been held over time. It's one of my favorite pieces I my collection and displayed proudly in the bar. "Anyone who has ever seen them is thereafter haunted as if by a feverish dream" Karl Woermann [ Edited by: uncle trav 2014-03-02 04:23 ]

I picked this guy up a few years back. I just got around to taking a good look at it and researching what it was used for. A big part of collecting for me is finding out as much as I can about an item. I'm no expert just curious. It appears to be an Aripa, also called a Kamanggabi from the Arambak people. They live in they Korewori river area of the lower Sepik region. Here is a description of how they carving was used.

"Aripa are considered living beings who communicate with men and animals. Male Aripa help initiated men in hunting and warfare. Some are owned by individuals and some by clans. The sculptures may have been placed in the caves in memory of their owners or to accompany the bones of the deceased along with other bone mementos from successful hunts and wars.

Before a hunt, a man smears his carving with his own blood and animal excrement. Red betel nut juice might be spit on the carving. These actions appeal to the Aripa for help. That night, the invisible soul of the Aripa hunts. If the hunter's plea was successful, the Aripa will later direct him to his prey. The hunter presents the Aripa with bits of the meat after the kill. Similar rituals were used for war."

The beauty of the carving it's what caught my eye at first and I was sure it was a PNG piece. The dollar price tag seal the deal. I have read that these carvings were smoked to give them a weather resistant coating and this one has a nice coating. Has nice wear along the back wear it has been held over time. It's one of my favorite pieces I my collection and displayed proudly in the bar.

"Anyone who has ever seen them is thereafter haunted as if by a feverish dream" Karl Woermann

[ Edited by: uncle trav 2014-03-02 04:23 ]

Post #709777 by uncle trav on Sat, Mar 1, 2014 5:13 PM