Aibom Meri Statue Handcarved Coal Carrier Japandai Oceanic Art Papua Guinea 32A2

Used

Rare Old Aibom Meri Statue Hand carved Coal Carrier, Japandai, Oceanic Art, Papua New Guinea

Item 32A2 

Rare example of South Pacific Art:  Hand carved Statue from Japandai Village, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea 

Measures: 29" X 9" X 7" 

This is an Aibom meri statue with shell eyes & a hand twisted grass-bark twine skirt. Quite unique 

The men of Japandai have carved at times such a unique statue representing an Aibom woman carrying a Chambri pottery fireplace on her head.  During a long conflict with a neighboring village, these statues were set up in the village and gardens with offerings placed in the "fireplace" or chambri pot in a hopeful effort to fight the competing sorcerers' black magic from the enemy village.

Piece is solid and was collected in the field 25 years ago. 

This type of figure is important and started being carved in Yenchenmangua village as well and there, has other interpretations: it can represent a woman or an animal carrying coals during a wedding celebration in a pottery fireplace typical of the local pottery, and placed on the statue’s head. 

These so called fireplaces are wide scooped-out pots placed on the prepared earthen base in a slightly up-tilted position and wedged with stones for stability. Small fires are safely built in such open pots called Noranggav. 

Japandai is considered to be part of the Middle Sepik. The carvers have a reputation for copying other village's art or style which can cause dissent and battle between clans.

This is a scarce artifact, seen on all the photos: This vintage ancestral piece from the East Sepik region, was hand carved and has Nassa shells inserts in the eye sockets and a handmade bush twine skirt..

All our Tribal East Sepik river region carvings, from Papua New Guinea, were collected on the premises.

Check Dominique Rice Oceania Store in Sun Sentinel Newspaper, Fort Lauderdale, for information on our collection and authentic art. 

All our collector and rare items come with pages and pages of research about provenance, and with history of the tribes and photos as well, depending on item and whenever possible. When shipping internationally, we group ship multiple purchases to save you money, and find the best rates available. If you have any questions or want to see research conducted on this piece and photos of tribes, tell us.

We have artifacts and architectural accents up to 10 ft tall that we will put on upon request because shipping has to be calculated accordingly with trucking company.