ARTH 1130 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Eleman Languages, Headhunting, Marquesas Islands
4 Dec 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Bark painting: aboriginal painters often depicted dreamings, dreamings- ancestral beings whose spirits pervade the present, uses an x-ray style, shows both external appearance as well as the figure"s internal organs. Asmat: bisj poles, carved from mangrove tree trunks, erected prior to a headhunting raid, represent the relatives whose deaths the hunters must avenge. Iatmul: mens house, centre of iatmul life, distinctive saddle shaped roof, symbolized protective mantle of ancestors, carved decoration, often includes female ancestors in the birthing position. Elema: hevehe- cycle of ceremonial activities spanning 10-20 years, culminated in the dramatic appearance of hevehe masks from the mens house, masks represent female sea spirits. Abelam: believe that their ancestors aid in the growth of their principal crop (yam, painted cane yam masks, important part of the elaborate ceremonies honouring these ancestors. Trobriand islands: they decorated their canoes with abstract human, bird, and serpent motifs referring to sea spirits, prow ornaments.
