a.k.a. Spirit Board, Ancestor Tablet, Kwoi in 0 collections
Called a Memorial Tablet, spirit board, ancestor tablet or kwoi, these come from the Purari Delta area of Papua New Guinea. Like many spirit boards, it is slightly curved as it was probably made from an old canoe, imbued with its previous usage by the community who owned it. The boards were kept safely in special long-houses accessible only to men, as part of a family shrine revering the spirits and ancestors. This would ensure health, fertility, wealth and success in hunting, harvesting, warfare or trade.
This is one tumbler out of a series of 8 pieces by Lokena with an orange/brown background and hand-painted tiki on the front.