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Spirit pole, Mbitoro, 20th century
Wood, pigment
550 cm (216 9/16 in.)

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Artist Biography: (none) PROVENANCE: "Collected by Todd Barlin in 1979." (Catalog #533, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 177.) PUBLICATIONS: 2005 - "The spirit pole or mbitoro (mbi = spirit) is carved out of mangrove wood. The figures on the pole, representing the deceased, are in the unique Kamoro style, in which their bodies are carved as a hollow latticework: "The way in which they are represented is symbolic of Mimika [Kamoro] ideas about life and death...when death occurs the ipu, the personal spirit, leaves the body together with the nata, the 'inner body.' Only the external, visible body, the kao or rind, remains" (Kooijman, 1984: 1). The kao is what the Kamoro use to depict the human figure on many of their sculptures, including the mbitoro. The large curved form on the overworked "flag" at the top, called okemere, represents the tongue of a mythical monitor lizard. Mbitoro play a role in honoring the dead but are also essential in the context of initiation rituals (karapao-both the name of the ritual and the initiation house). The mbitoro is erected in front of the karapao and at a major stage in the proceedings the nose of the initiate is pierced, symbolizing the presence of the deceased. Before it is erected the mbitoro is carried through the village by a number of men. At some stage it moves violently and is even thrown into the air as a sign that the spirits have entered it (see also Kooijman, 1984: 1-13; and Jacobs, 2003, cat. no. 51; for an account of a recent karapao in the same village where the mbitoro shown here was displayed in 1979, see Pickell and Muller, 2001: 49-69)." (Catalog #533, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 177.) 2003 - Smidt, 2003: 58 (photo in situ).

Related Keywords
Mbitoro pole Spirit 177 p 2 Volume 2005 Friede John Marcia Jolika Masterpieces Art Guinea New 533 Catalog 1979 Barlin Todd by Collected people Kamoro village Kekwa Keakwa Oceania Papua West Indonesia Object Ritual pigment Wood 0420200717030027 A383350 AOA