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Hand drum, 20th century
Wood, rattan, cloth, encrusted pigment, cowrie shell, reptile skin, beeswax, fiber string
53.3 x 15.2 cm (21 x 6.5 in.)
The Marcia and John Friede Collection, a Promised Gift to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco L05.1.426

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Artist Biography: (none) PROVENANCE: Jolika Collection of New Guinea Art PUBLICATIONS: 2005 - "The Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, has a comparable drum but without the plaited sheath, from Wabag, Enga Province (Moriarty, 1973: 40, cat. no. H153). The use of such drums by men during particular display dances (mor) in the context of moka pig and shell exhanges can be seen in field photos from areas such as northern Malpa (Strathern, 1971: 49; Mackay, 1984: 6); Mount Hagen area (Lenars, Strathern, and Stewart, 2004: 32-33); Nebilyer River valley (Boylan and North, 1997: 75); and Enga (Holton and Read, 1971: 35). "In mor, male dancers form in a single line or extend into a horseshoe round the ceremonial ground with donors and recipients facing each other. Drum and whistle notes punctuate the dancing. With a sharp, opening yodel, all begin to sing. The dance consists of stately, rhythmic genuflection, the drums beaten just as the legs are straightened and the body reaches an upward crescendo. After a few minutes, a faster rhythm is adopted, involving constant pivoting on the toes. Then there is a rest, till someone starts singing or drumming again" (Strathern, 1917: 50). Drummers are also involved in clearing a space in front of the dancers (ibid., pl. 5)." (Catalog #583, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 189.)

Related Keywords
drum Hand Francisco San Museums Arts Fine Gift Promised Friede John Marcia Art Jolika people Melpa Oceania Enga Province Highlands Western Guinea New Instrument Musical string fiber beeswax skin reptile shell cowrie pigment encrusted cloth rattan Wood 0709200406050149 A365339 L05.1.426 AOA