["Yipwon, figura d'esperit", "Yipwon, spirit figure", "Figura d'esperit", "Yipwon, figura de espíritu"]

Description:

This is a yipwon figure, a type of sculpture made by the Yiwam people from the area of the Karawari River, a tributary of the Sepik River. The yipwon incarnate spirits and were kept inside the sacred space in the men¿s house. In the past they played a central role in the rituals dedicated to hunting, war or protecting the villages. The spirits they represented were called upon to appear and attack and kill the souls of the animals and enemies that the hunters wanted to conquer. In these rituals, the yipwon were aroused with the application of a liquid made up of chewed ginger, betel and nettle, as well as some other substances that were linked to the victim or the activity for which help was required from the figure. Finally, if the goals set were achieved, homage was paid to the sculpture with offerings, such as the blood of the victims or a sample of the gains made. If, on the contrary, it was unsuccessful, the figures were forgotten and abandoned in the forest. As occurs in other works of art in the area of the Sepik River and its tributaries, this sculpture was designed to be seen in profile. The yipwon is characterised by their forms of hook that represent the external and internal anatomy of supernatural beings. In this case the forms illustrate the ribs of the figure, which stands on one leg, bent in a stylised way.

Location:

Papua New Guinea

Format:

image

Collections:

Museum of Cultures of the World

Content partner:

Museum of Cultures of the World

Availability:

Not specified