Headrest with crocodile form
About This Item
- Date
- 1970s
- Geography
- Sepik River, Papua New Guinea
- Medium
- wood
- pigment
- Context
In Papua New Guinea, the crocodile and the critically endangered cassowary bird—two culturally significant species—are losing habitat due to rising sea levels and increasing temperatures. The crocodile is traditionally the metaphor for decision making and political discussions, and its image is often used as part of material culture related to policy and negotiation. The cassowary and other birds are seen as kin, and the use of their bones and feathers signifies relationships with ancestors. One of the creation stories of the Iatmul community in Papua New Guinea describes a world engulfed by water. An ancestral crocodile came and scooped part of the submerged land onto its back, lifting it to the surface. It is said that when the crocodile moves the land shakes.
- Height
- 5 in
- Width
- 24.75 in
- Depth
- 5.25 in
- Copyright
- Copyright status unknown. Some materials in these collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction of some materials may be restricted by terms of gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing, and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
- Views
- 1489