VICTORIA, BC • CANADA
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Alcheringa - Fine Tribal Art of the Northwest Coast, Papua New Guinea, and Australia

An exhibition of small wood carvings and ceramics created by contemporary Papua New Guinean artists for use in ritual and other aspects of traditional life.



Welcome to Accessories to Ceremony. This show is unusual for us in two ways: first, all the included works play a role in ritual and daily life in their respective cultures (from Papua New Guinea's Sepik, Trobriand Islands, New Ireland, & Tabar Islands); second, this collection spans much of the gallery's history, including its first years of working with Papua New Guinea artists, when we unfortunately followed the standard museum practice of inconsistently crediting individual aboriginal artists. We feel that the creators of the unattributed pieces included in this exhibition would want their work to be shown anyway, so we present it here, with apologies and thanks, beside the work of artists with whom we've worked in recent decades.

Included are a selection of instruments used for music and communication; weapons and tools, including ceremonial apparatus associated with the grinding, seasoning, and ingestion of betel nut; a dance mask, a child's toy, food and salt storage vessels, brideprice shells and jewellery, and an architectural adornment. Most of these pieces are fashioned in a very particular regional style; for comparison, we've included some pieces with the same function from different areas. As usual, we welcome questions and comments about this work.

Artist Unidentified (Lower Sepik) - Tree Garamut Drum

Tree Garamut Drum
Artist Unidentified (Lower Sepik)
Papua New Guinea
1988
SOLD

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Niakra Kuarkle - Ceremonial Dagger (I)

Ceremonial Dagger (I)
Niakra Kuarkle
Papua New Guinea
1992

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Artist Unidentified (Blackwater Lakes) - Ceremonial Dagger (II)

Ceremonial Dagger (II)
Artist Unidentified (Blackwater Lakes)
Papua New Guinea
1996

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Cletus Tau - Short Horn

Short Horn
Cletus Tau
Papua New Guinea
1996
SOLD

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Plasios Asapi ( Iatmul (sub group Kanjamali) )  - Long Horn

Long Horn
Plasios Asapi
(Iatmul (sub group Kanjamali))
Papua New Guinea
1999
SOLD

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Francis Timbin ( Iatmul )  - Sepik Lime Container

Sepik Lime Container
Francis Timbin
(Iatmul)
Papua New Guinea
1996

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Artist Unidentified (Trobriands) - Trobriand Lime Container

Trobriand Lime Container
Artist Unidentified (Trobriands)
Papua New Guinea
circa 1988
SOLD

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Kambae - Sepik Betel Nut Mortar

Sepik Betel Nut Mortar
Kambae
Papua New Guinea
1999

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Artist Unidentified (Trobriands) - Trobriand Betel Nut Mortar

Trobriand Betel Nut Mortar
Artist Unidentified (Trobriands)
Papua New Guinea
circa 1975
SOLD

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Artist Unidentified (Highlands) - Salt Bar

Salt Bar
Artist Unidentified (Highlands)
Papua New Guinea
circa 1979

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Artist Unidentified (Middle Sepik) - Canoe Prow

Canoe Prow
Artist Unidentified (Middle Sepik)
Papua New Guinea
circa 1988

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Artist Unidentified (Middle Sepik) - Traditional Drill (Kaminibit Village)

Traditional Drill (Kaminibit Village)
Artist Unidentified (Middle Sepik)
Papua New Guinea
1984

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Artist Unidentified (Upper Sepik) - Toy Top

Toy Top
Artist Unidentified (Upper Sepik)
Papua New Guinea
1988
SOLD

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Artist Unidentified (Blackwater Lakes) - Didagur Mask

Didagur Mask
Artist Unidentified (Blackwater Lakes)
Papua New Guinea
1989

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Artist Unidentified (Middle Sepik) - Cone Shell Belt

Cone Shell Belt
Artist Unidentified (Middle Sepik)
Papua New Guinea
circa 1992

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Artist Unidentified (Middle Sepik) - Cone Shell Bracelet

Cone Shell Bracelet
Artist Unidentified (Middle Sepik)
Papua New Guinea
circa 1984
SOLD

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Artist Unidentified (Aibom) - Ridge Tile

Ridge Tile
Artist Unidentified (Aibom)
Papua New Guinea
1992

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Artist Unidentified (Aibom) - Ceremonial Bowl

Ceremonial Bowl
Artist Unidentified (Aibom)
Papua New Guinea
1992

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Artist Unidentified (PNG) - Spear Thrower (Middle Sepik)

Spear Thrower (Middle Sepik)
Artist Unidentified (PNG)
Papua New Guinea
circa 1984
SOLD

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Claytus Yambon ( Iatmul Tribe )  - Overmodelled Dagger

Overmodelled Dagger
Claytus Yambon
(Iatmul Tribe)
Papua New Guinea
1986

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Artist Unidentified (Aibom) - Sago Storage Pot (I)

Sago Storage Pot (I)
Artist Unidentified (Aibom)
Papua New Guinea
1992

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Andrew Busha - Double-Sided Lime Container

Double-Sided Lime Container
Andrew Busha
Papua New Guinea
1996

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Artist Unidentified (Sarikm Village) - Rooster Dagger

Rooster Dagger
Artist Unidentified (Sarikm Village)
Papua New Guinea
1992
SOLD

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Chief Joe Pezia - Trumpet Shell

Trumpet Shell
Chief Joe Pezia
Papua New Guinea
circa 1988

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