KWOMA MINDJA FIGURE
EAST SEPIK, PAPUA NEW GUINEA
£325
African & Oceanic Art and Antiquities
Auction: 27 November 2018 at 11:00 GMT
Description
carved wood and pigment, of elliptical form, with a water spirit figure depicted in the centre, the nose prominent, the eyes and mouth cut through, the raised brow flanked by a decorative pattern coloured with lime, the bottom with whitened diamond shapes split by a raised snake
Dimensions
105cm tall
Footnote
Provenance:
Private collection, Scotland
Note:
"A variety of carvings are made by the Kwoma and Nukuma people that are used in both age grade rituals and ceremonies relating to the cultivation and harvesting of yams. Mindja, one of three types of carvings are recognizable by their large size, prominent nose, and rows of upturned spikes or spears that represent snakes. Mindja carvings are said to represent water spirits living in the lakes that are sometimes seen just under the surface of the water. Each Kwoma clan owned a pair that was shown in rotation from year to year. The term mindja applies to the rituals, the sacred objects, and the social divisions." (Newton 1971:82-87)