ARH Oceana
Tambaran
Something top secret in Sepik River region in New Guinea; will never be seen by anyone except those initiated into the men's house; can be mundane, but only those initiated into a particular house would be able to see it; more of a conception: anything forbidden/ considered sacred by the heads of the society; reserved for reveal only at certain times by certain people. a pidgin word. varies from 1 location to the other. Wabi is an essential part of it
sing sing
Sort of a theatrical event for Rai Coast region of New Guinea, 20+ men costumed in feather hats, women wearing other grass skirts, to mark puberty of women and men)
New Guinea, Sepik River
Speakers of the Austronesian languages moved into this region from the islands of southeast Asia between 4,000 and 3,000 years ago
Hohao
Spirit boards; 4-5 ft tall; actual "human figures" on them. May represent mythical ancestors or forest helpers, not linked to specific genealogical ties; names kept secret by owner to keep magical properties (black spot on belly button section; detail below); Masks on side of eravo
Lagim
Splashboard/bow of canoes in Massim region
Yena Masiik
Stake carved as part of the figure; "spirits," powerful, responsible for, and preside ove, fertility of yam gardens
Kaiaimunu
Structure that was taken to the ravi oru for ceremonies
pure moka
Takes place between exchange partners; men between communities give shells and pigs
the human body or headhunter
The "S" form in Irian Jaya carving and design referenced what?
eharo
This type of hevehe mask was made and worn by guests of the activities who came to honor those getting initiated and participating
Because it was full of female imagery and the food was prepared by the women
Why is it ironic that the tambaran house was for males only?
bc sculptures/humans originally carved out of trees
Why is there strong tie between the tree and human being?
Nataptavo
Wicker frame, huge human face on front, decorated with feathers on umboi island region (new guinea); comes in cylindrical and conical forms
Fumeripits
the first real being in irian jaya
Bis
"Ancestor pole;" depicts several stacked carvings of ancestors; the poles were constructed to assist the dead from the world of the living into the world of their ancestors; made out of a beautiful tree with a well-developed plank root
Yena Masiik
"Yam Masters" in Sepik River region
Moka
"big men" compete to the top of this gift exchange (kinda like a pres. primary). A few years before a big exchange, some members spend up to a year dancing and practicing gift giving in festivals; those viewing are critical if the ceremony is not perfect
Asmat
"real people" (in distinction to the souls of the dead and spirits living in the region)
Kovave
"spirits of bush;" ceremonies were meant to call ancestors from the trees to initiate boys into the cult; masks were made out of cane wicker-work and barkcloth along with paint and feathers; After initiation they were taken into the woods and ambushed by the men and the masks were placed on their heads and they would resemble the kovave spirit and return to town; then for a month they would patrol the beach; after a month, they would remove their masks and the masks were burned
Fumeripits
( Creation story) ______ spent his days dancing on the beach, but eventually grew tired of being alone and he chopped down trees and carved them into human figures to have company, but they were lifeless sculptures. So then, he decided to create a drum and as he played it, the figures came to life and began to dance
Clubs
Besides shells, what is also traded on kula expeditions?
Building new yeu, carving bis poles, weaving/dancing masks
What three activities once required headhunting in Irian Jaya?
elbows and knees connecting
What was a typical form for a sculpture in Irian Jaya?
associated with coming into life and leaving life → fetal position; how they believe we all start and leave life
What was the purpose behind sculptures with elbows and knees connecting in Irian Jaya?
Mangrove tree
What were bis made of?
punish someone who comes in contact with a tambaran who shouldn't and prevent the escape of spirit voices
What were flute stoppers used for?
Orokolo Bay / Elema
Area with ritual centers on 3 male cults : kaiavuru, kovave, hevehe
Mija
2 day period, used during ceremony. house put back in order after as if nothing ever happened
Saddle-like back and Triangular like front
2 types of tambaran houses
Kwoi
A father's pig and croc skulls are passed down and lined up in front of what?
Nggwalndu
A man inherits his father's __________ (you inherit your father's spirit) in Sepik River region
Orokolo Bay / Elema
Area known to be less avidly headhunters; not cannibals
imunu
Bullroarers were called what in the oroloka bay region?
Kula
Canoe used for shell trade in Massim region; each phase of the expedition is surrounded with magical rites (canoe bldg, rites before expedition, just after onset, in the event of shipwreck, just before entering, when in exchange; often would exchange shell valuables)
Amei
Ceremonial center of the ara, several different tambaran houses; on one side is the tambaran house; some houses 80 ft high
"Feeding the Kaiaimunu"
Ceremony where the ravi oru is taken to the kaiaimunu is known as?
Iko
Folk hero coming from Kiwai to Papuan Gulf that brought his culture with him (gardens, ceremonial houses, secrets of masked ceremonies, secrets of drums, rules of marriage and kinship)
Only allowed for the welcoming of guests and during the construction of the yeu (occurs every 4-5 yrs; all men have to leave the house upon construction and the women dance in the yeu for an entire day, then they leave and the men are allowed back)
When were women allowed inside yeu?
birth canal
Crawl through tunnel into tambaran house represnets?
Ma-hevehe
Dangerous female sea creatures, threaten fishing activities, threaten trading voyages, left her daughters in the eravo
Kilenge Nausung
Design owned by an individual "big man," carved and painted eye patterns (designate family ownership); figure as motifs in carvings and paintings of other things designed by big men (compare to tami island balum)
Soulava
Disks of shells, necklaces (travelled clockwise across Massim area during trade); salmon red is best color
Nowkwi
Display is an image of fecundity, abundance, social world and supernatural world in Sepik River region
betel nuts, tobacco, personal effects, yams, sweet taters, bananas and luxury items inside
During Nowkwi ceremony, figures were bags filled with what?
Marupai
Dwarf coconut used as talismanor charms, helped to kill enemy or ward off sorcery; still being produced in the region; are "magical object which brings good luck"
Imunu
Dynamistic force or spirit in Papuan Gulf (each associated with a specific place, linked to a clan or subclan; name given to bullroarers (objects tied to a string and whipped around in a circle in the air making an eerie sound) in Elema)
can be mundane (net bags, drum, etc)
Examples of tambaran
King of Saxony and bird of paradise
Feathers of these birds are only worn by very important people in Mt. Hagen region of New Guinea.
Moka
Gift exchange in Mt. Hagen region of New Guinea. substitute for war. 2 types. requires elaborate body / troop decoration by the man giving the gift. decoration becomes the center of attention. each group tries to out-do the other with gift giving; it's a formal display of wealth
Abelam
Group of ppl that live in a hilly region by sepik river in New Guinea (grow yams, sweet taters, coffee, cocoa)
Yena spirits
Guarentee crop fertility, bring political integrity, assist in war, protect owners, maintain social harmony; during the 3 week period of yam growing, there was to be no sexual contact and absolute secrecy in Sepik River region
feathers from the King of Saxony and bird of paradise
Headresses of people in Mt. Hagen region of New Guinea are made of what?
Eravo
Height of door of what building in Orokolo Bay / Elema was designed to allow room for tall hevehe masks to be able to enter and exit
Imbalance; balance
In Irian Jaya, ______ lead to illness, death, hunger & _______ lead to spirits, enemies, peers, family, environment
heapu
Instruction period for young men; weapons associated with this showed they were apporaching warrior hood
Nowkwi
Killing ceremony in Sepik River region; restricted to those who have taken a life → only bitches who killed bitches
Namau
Located at Purari delta; 8-9,000 people, known for headhunting and cannablism
Wabi
Long yam cult in Sepik River region; decorating and exchange of gigantic yams; considered the grower's children → he would never eat his own children so that's why he gives them away
Yeu
Where were most "art objects" in Irian Jaya kept?
Tumbuan
Made for public display/performance mask & masquerade in Sepik River region in New Guinea; large shield like face with eyes, sometimes woven (basketry) and decorated with plants/flowers/fruit; much secrecy but everyone can see it (giant outfit someone wears); the secrecy lies in that no one knows when its going to appear
Mourning makeup
Makeup not meant to draw attention, meant to be the opposite. mud / clay / ash is smeared over the body and face which dries it out; wigs are not worn and rather, some hair is pulled out; when someone dies they try to look bad
Nggwalndu
Male initiation ceremony in Sepik River region- can take up to 20 yrs.; ritual object and spirit important in family but also in tambaran and wabi (also a spirit); important to the individual man and his family; meaning has to do with participation. Same men that participate in Wabi participate in this
Ara
Males divided into 2 groups for trading in Sepik River region, each called an _________
Hevehe
Mask representing a spirit that was believed to be a sea-serpent like being called Mahevehe (Dangerous female sea creatures, Threatened fishing activities and trading voyages, left her daughters in eravo) Similar patterns to that of the bullroarer, except the mask it worn by a human being;
Massim Region
Matrilineal region of New guinea
Yue
Men's house in Irian Jaya (it was were governmental decisions were made, leaders gathered here; dead were communicated with inside; heads of ancestors and head-hunting trophies kept inside)
crocodile that moved up river and gave birth to different group of humans along the river
Myths of origin & big element in the history /art of New Guinea (Sepik River)
Ravi
Namau men's house (about 80 ft high, 5 ft in rear, 6-12 ft above ground, 200 ft long, front open); very tall, off the ground; kept ppl screened off so they couldn't see what was happening
Omak
Neck ornament in Mt. Hagen region of New Guinea; a set of tally sticks (multiply by 8-10) to show how many times a man had given away a group of shell valuables (often a special thing to give away)
Nowkwi mima
Nowkwi women; sisters given in marriage
Kai Diba
Often manipulated like a baton → two small panels with a handle in the middle (Massim region)
Aiaimuni
Represent spirits of the bush; covered with tapa and painted. Worn in ceremonies
Flute stoppers
Sacred carvings in Sepik River region of New Guinea; became known as "children of the crocodile spirits"
Larava
Section inside men's house with spirit boards; each is discreet from the next
Mija Masiik
Similar to yena masiik, but flatter and no stake
bird designs, serpent designs, maybe sexual to distract warriors?
Trobriand Shields have what different types of designs on them?
eharo & apa hevehe
Two types of hevehe masks
Bukumo
Umboi island (coconut fiber mask face)
mija
Used during ceremony; house put back in order after as if nothing ever happened
semese
Warrior status men had to go through ordeals to get endurance, etc.; then they could get kava
a canoe
What do Betel mortars reflect the shape of?
Balance
What idea is important the the culture in Irian Jaya?
a gable like mask; huge paintings on the surface
What is often attached at the front of a tambaran house? What do others have?
Irian Jaya
What region is considerd people of the tree: roots- feet; trunk- torso; branches- arms; fruit- head
kovave
an economic and status based cult in Orokolo bay region of new guinea
Mwali
armshells (travelled counterclockwise across Massim area during trade); considered female but worn by males
Irian Jaya
carving became a critical part of who's creation story? (the first being creating more beings and the sculptures commemorate specific individuals who might have died)
Animism
cosmos is a unity of animated spirits
Fumeripits
he created the first "yue"
Sia
headdress worn during sing sing; face on it; can appear at # of different occasions
cockatoo, hornbill, flying fox
icons that symbolize headhunting
kava
mark of legit Elema citizenship
Eravo
men's house, not as high as ravi; 50 ft high in front, 100 ft long, 12 ft high in rear; one for each karigara; - cult house, initiation house, storage for objects, men's eravo faced sea, boy's eravo faced inland
Betelnut
nut chewed by locals in New Guinea; mouth turns red; produces euphoria if chewed
Dualism
physically visible and physically invisible spirits, all present at all times, spirits in immediate surroundings (bottom of rivers, whirlpool, world above, world beyond)
karigara
subdivision; most important social group in the community in oroloko bay
Tabuya
wavesplitter (back of kula); holds lagim in place; embodies the aesthetic principles of canoe
bark
what are kava made of?
protected internal organs; physical and ceremonial piece of armour; presented to young warrior men
what is the purpose of kava?
ravi oru
wicker work with red seeds used to resemble eyes; body of the victim placed inside it, then spit out and eaten during "Feeding the Kaiaimunu" ceremony
