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Bone scraper, Kuau or Bala Apa (pig bone), 19th–early 20th century
Pig bone, red pigment
21 x 9 x 8 cm (8 1/4 x 3 9/16 x 3 1/8 in.)
The Marcia and John Friede Collection, a Promised Gift to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco L05.1.110

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Artist Biography: (none) PROVENANCE: Jolika Collection of New Guinea Art EXHIBITIONS: 1991 - The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1991, "New Guinea Bone Carvings." PUBLICATIONS: 2005 - "The principal decorations are lizards with parrot attributes and huamoid faces. The lizards are representations of wala, a mythological fertility figure (see pl. 315). These implements, made of pig bone, are the private property of initiated men and are mainly used to check the condition of ceremonial yam tubers growing in the gardens by unearthing the yam roots for inspection (Hauser-Schäublin, 1989: 117, and Dirk Smidt, personal communication)." (Catalog #319, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 135.)

Related Keywords
Apa Bala or Kuau scraper Francisco San Museums Arts Fine Gift Promised Friede John Marcia Art Jolika people Abelam Oceania Province Sepik East Guinea New Sculpture pigment red bone Pig 1217200409230009 A361025 L05.1.110 AOA