A Fine Old New Guinea Ancestor Figure Ramu River Area Madang Province Papua New Guinea

A Fine Old New Guinea Ancestor Figure Ramu River Area Madang Province Papua New Guinea

This finely carved older used male Ancestor Figure is from the lower Sepik River area of Papua New Guinea. In the form of an anthropomorphic bird man that represents a category of powerful ancestral beings called waken.  Small amulet figures like these were kept by men in small woven bags  They were used for magical purposes such as; love magic, controlling the weather, hunting for wild pigs & cassowaries, to protect the owner and his family from malevolent sorcerers & the spirit world.  This figure dates from the 1940-1950s

Provenance:  The Late Leo Fortess Collection (1918 – 2002) was well known for collector of Pacific Islands art and artifacts. Over 50 years of collecting Fortess made an important collection of Pacific Art & Artefacts part of which was donated to public institutions.   

The Todd Barlin Collection of Oceanic & New Guinea Art

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