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Dance helmet, Korawibunger, 20th century
Wood, palm spathe, rattan, pigment, cowrie shell
135.5 cm (53 3/8 in.)

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Artist Biography: (none) PROVENANCE: "Collected by Ed Boylan in Tambanum village in the 1970s. Lynda Cunningham Collection, New York; Masco COllection, Detroit, Mich." (Catalog #175, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 111.) PUBLICATIONS: 2005 - "Dance helmets, such as this one, are smaller than the full dance costumes (see pl. 174). The totemic animal represented here is probably a dog. The openwork structure at the bottom of the body of the animal serves for the attachment of a cloak of shredded sago leaf topped by other kinds of leaves as well. This part is usually not visible when the dance helmet is worn by a masquerader, as the cloak is attached in such a manner that it hides the framework from view (see Wardwell, 1994: 68, for a photograph of this piece worn in situ, taken by Felix Speiser in 1927 at Tambanum village). The collector describes this piece as having belonged to the Waria group of clans in the Tambanum (personal communication). Korawibunger was the personal name for the headdress. The name would have been passed on from a preceding headdress and used again when a replacement was made so that only one Korawibnger would be in the village at one time. "Bunger" may be Iatmul for "dog." These helmets were also used to display certain flat-backed Iatmul masks such as mwai representations. In 1981, we saw examples in the Korogo and Parambei villages." (Catalog #175, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 111.) 2002 - Sotheby's, New York, Dec. 15, 2002, lot 134. 1994 - Wardwell, 1994, fig. 20.

Related Keywords
Korawibunger helmet Dance 111 p 2 Volume 2005 Friede John Marcia Jolika Masterpieces Art 175 Catalog Mich Detroit Masco York Cunningham Lynda 1970s village Tambanum Boylan Ed by Collected clans group Wariawi people Iatmul eastern Oceania headwear River middle Province Sepik East Guinea New Papua Melanesia Accessory Costume shell cowrie pigment rattan spathe palm Wood 0308200711540027 A383307 AOA