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Female figure, Imunu or Kakame, C-14 dating: 1640–1820 (95 % probability)
Mangrove root, pigment, cane
61 x 18 x 19 cm (24 x 7 1/16 x 7 1/2 in.)
The Marcia and John Friede Collection, a Promised Gift to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco L05.1.47

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Artist Biography: (none) PROVENANCE: "Collected by Thomas Schultze-Westrum in 1966." (Catalog #452, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 160.) PUBLICATIONS: 2005 - "This figure and the next were collected from a dilapidated hut to which the sacred wood carvings of a previously existing ceremonial house (dubu weneh), named Daubai, had been transferred (Schultze-Westrum, 1972: 105-6, text relating to figs. 44, 45, 46, and 50). This figure, which is the companion of pl. 453, represents a powerful and dangerous female spirit, somewhat similar to the "poison gods" of Hawaii (Thomas Schultze-Westrum, personal communication). Imunu are unique spirit beings obtained from the root of the mangrove. A carver or spirit-man dreams an image and then goes to "find" it in the mangrove forest. A similar tradition is found among certain Inuit people, where the shaman dreams an image and then goes to find it among the driftwood on the beach. See Newton, 1961: 62." (Catalog #452, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 160.) 1972 - Schultze-Westrum, 1972, fig. 50 (foreground).

Related Keywords
Kakame or Imunu figure Female Francisco San Museums Arts Fine Gift Promised 160 p 2 Volume 2005 Friede John Marcia Jolika Masterpieces Art 452 Catalog 1966 Westrum Schultze Thomas by Collected dialect Urama speakers language Kiwai NE people Iwaino village Kinomere Oceania Province Gulf Guinea New Papua Melanesia Sculpture cane pigment root Mangrove 0709200406050367 A360962 L05.1.47 AOA