Ancestor Board (Yamate)

Unknown

mid-20th century · Wood, paint · Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

Much of the art of the Kamoro people of southwest New Guinea centers on ceremonies and wood carvings that honor the spirits of individuals who have recently died. The present work is likely a Kamoro ancestor board (yamate). Portraying recently deceased ancestors, yamate were primarily created during the emakame, a complex ritual honoring the dead and celebrating the renewal of life. A pivotal event in the emakame was the revealing of a group of yamate, each of which represented a specific deceased person, whose name it bore. Some yamate were also used on festive occasions as ornaments on the prows of canoes.

Artist

Unknown

Date

mid-20th century

Medium

Wood, paint

Culture

Kamoro (Mimika) people

Department

Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

Credit line

The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979