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Bird/Human head on shaft, Koanggingge ("Mother of the Men's House"), C-14 dating: 1480–1650 (95.4% probability)
Wood, pigment
35.6 x 22.9 x 5.1 cm (14.75 x 9.25 x 2.5 in.)
The Marcia and John Friede Collection, a Promised Gift to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco L05.1.57

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Artist Biography: (none) PROVENANCE: "Nils Madsen Collection, Ambunti, Papua New Guinea." Catalog #268, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 125.) EXHIBITIONS: 1968 - D'Arcy Gallery, New York, 1968, "The Caves of Karawari." PUBLICATIONS: 2005 - "This is the only version of this type of carving that I have seen with a double image. All others have a single human head. It is an example of the 'Mother of the Men's House,' the most important sacred carving of the Ewa people. In every men's house, one of these heads was impaled into the leafy rear wall. As leader of the spirits and mythical ancestors depicted in the other wood carvings, the Mother would lead them at night in a search for the souls of the animals to hunt. These and other Ewa carvings were placed in caves after their individual owners died. The protection that the caves provided explains the extreme age of some of the figures. (See Kaufmann, 2003 and Smidt, 1990: 292-94, cat. 110, for a summary of the available information.) According to Douglas Newton, the Yimam (Yimar) people, whom he refers to as the 'Karawari,' had originally come from Sumariup, a village (of the Ewa) to the south' (Newton, 1997: 375). this would explain the volution of the Karawari style which changes as one approaches the Sepik, relative to its anceint origins among the Ewa." (Catalog #268, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 125.) 1968 - Haberland, 1968, no. 27.

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House Men's the of Mother Koanggingge shaft on head Human Bird Francisco San Museums Arts Fine Gift Promised 125 p 2 Volume 2005 Friede John Marcia Jolika Masterpieces Art 268 Catalog Ambunti Madsen Nils people Ewa Oceania Province Sepik East Guinea New Papua Melanesia Sculpture pigment twist slight advantage te shape using wood piece one Carved 0709200406050219 A360972 L05.1.57 AOA