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Portfolios%20%3D%20%22391%22%20and%20Sort_Artist%20%3D%20%22Abelam%20artist%22
Sculpture
Yam Mask
Abelam artist, (active )
Abelam artist
Papua New Guinea
11 3/4 x 12 1/4 x 2 1/4 in. (29.8 x 31.1 x 5.7 cm)
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Grasses
Grasses
Abelam; Made in Maprik Region, Papua New Guinea
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Oceanic, Oceanic art (Pacific Islands)
Sculpture
Abelam yam masks were never worn by humans. They are so small because they were made to adorn the long yams grown by the Abelam people of Papua New Guinea. These long yams, which were not eaten, grow up to 6-9 feet and were exchanged between men as a form of community building. An Abelam man’s prestige was measured in direct proportion to the size of his yams. Special long yams with anthropomorphic features were considered living supernatural beings and were lavishly decorated with paint, feathers, shells, leaves, and masks, and then publicly displayed. The interlacing between solid bands refers to the caterpillar found on yam vines.
[Gallery label text, 2009]
1974.78
item
Memorial Art Gallery
3/20/2001
74.78DI#2
digital image
6/18/2008
http://127.0.0.1:5000/Media/images/74.78_A1.jpg
74.78DI#2
digital image
Front
00/00/00
http://127.0.0.1:5000/Media/images/74.78_A2.jpg