2000.2.17 (Bowl, Eating)

2000.2.17 (Bowl, Eating) image

This is an Asmat wooden bowl carved in the form of a canoe, likely created in Papua New Guinea in the latter half of the twentieth century. It is painted in varying colors of red, white, and black. The interior surface is painted entirely in white and is carved into the surface of the piece 1.3”. The curved sides and back of the piece feature a geometric design which covers the entire rear portion of the piece. This section is painted in varying patterns of red, white, and black. Each end of the bowl is capped by depictions of an individual’s head. The lower head is small, round, and features a blunt chin. It has a smiling mouth, sunken eyes, and elongated nose. The upper head is larger and features a very prominently pointed chin. Its brow is much more pronounced and its nose is much bigger than the lower head. Both of the heads are painted in shades of red, white, and black.

Pieces such as this are produced by the Asmat peoples for practical and ceremonial eating purposes. Traditionally, platters are used to serve roasted balls of sago during meals, which is a staple of Asmat cuisine. On ceremonial occasions, some platters and bowls would also be used to consume the brains of headhunted enemies as a rite of passage. Headhunting in Asmat culture is most prominently associated with notions of fertility and vitality and was commonplace for much of the civilization’s history. The practice of headhunting was discouraged and phased out by missionaries in the late twentieth century, at which time the consumption of ceremonial Capricorn beetles replaced that of human brains.

The canoe shape of pieces such as this represents the connection that Asmat peoples have with the rivers and with their canoes. Canoes are the primary mode of transportation throughout the rainforest, and are an essential part of life in many communities. Platters and bowls are often carved so that they blend the forms of men and canoes, symbolizing the connections they have with life and fertility.

Colors: White, Red, Black

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All Images of This Object

2000.2.17 (Bowl, Eating) image
2000.2.17 (Bowl, Eating) image
2000.2.17 (Bowl, Eating) image
2000.2.17 (Bowl, Eating) image
2000.2.17 (Bowl, Eating) image
2000.2.17 (Bowl, Eating) image