Yam Ceremonial Digging Stick with Carving Papua New Guinea Provenance

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A large digging stick used for the ceremony of planting the first yams of the season circa first half of … Read more A large digging stick used for the ceremony of planting the first yams of the season circa first half of the 20th century, from the ex-collection of the Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Such a ceremonial piece is reserved for ceremonial use during harvest, circa first half of the 20th century, the piece is labeled as a ceremonial sago scoop, but it may not be exactly correct. The research shows that it was made by Wosera people in the Maprik of the Mid-Sepik river region PNG. The ceremonial digging stick is traditionally used for planting the first year yams of the season. The central figure represents a naggwal, an ancestor associated with yam harvesting. His head is topped with Hornbill beaks. It has significant patina on the tip of the stick suggesting the usage of the piece. It was carved our of the trunk of stringy palm, a local plant by Wosera People (south of Abelam ) in Middle Sepik River. The art by Wosera people shares significant similarity with their northern neighbor Abelam. It is considered that Wosera renders a more defined and powerful sculptural form to their work that is more naturalistic.
Ref: Oceanic Art. Anthony JP Meyer. P 279 (an almost identical example). See less