The Exotic Oceanic Wing of the Met

METROPOLITAN MUSEUM

6th - Live-in Session

OCEANIC ART

This is my favorite section of the Metropolitan. Unfortunately a section that is very overlooked as it is at the end of the building and behind the Greek and Roman Art.

It is named the Michael C. Rockefeller wing after the son of Nelson A. Rockefeller (NY Governor, vice President) who collected many of the Asmat objects from Papa New Guinea. Michael disappeared when he was only 23 years old on his second exploration trip to the Papa New Guinea. 

On November 18, 1961, Rockefeller and Dutch anthropologist René Wassing were in a 40-foot dugout canoe about three miles from shore when their double pontoon boat was swamped and overturned. Their two local guides swam for help, but it was slow in coming. After drifting for some time, Rockefeller said to Wassing "I think I can make it" and swam for shore. Wassing was rescued the next day, while Rockefeller was never seen again, despite an intensive and lengthy search effort. At the time, Rockefeller's disappearance was a major world news item. No body was found, and he was finally declared dead in 1964.

-Missing Persons, Invision Free

Kwoma Ceiling

A remade ceremonial house ceiling from the Sepik River in the northwestern New Guinea. The roof went nearly to the ground and was supported by posts and beams but without walls.

Kavat Masks still in use in the 1970's.

House Post

Sentani People, Lake Sentani

New Guinea, 19th Century

Most of the art from Oceania comes from the last 400 years, especially since they were primarily made out wood and would disappear and rotten over time. This Y-shaped roof supporter is made from one piece of trunk and then architecturally engraved.
I immediately began a dream about having this done to a tree myself. Cut a tree down through the roots and then invert it to a post. Incredibly inventive!

Headdress effigy (Hareiga)

This was carried on top of the heads of the Papa New Guinea dancers. Sometimes they could be about 50 feet (15 meter). This one is huge in reality, I can't imagine anybody dancing with it.

Asmat Bis Poles

Created as focal points of a memorial feast honoring ancestors and people that recently died. Every pole has a name, and here is the extreme part; A death is said to be caused by an enemy and created an imbalance that had to be corrected, so after a numerous of deaths the male elders staged a Bis feast, that was held in a conjunction with a headhunting raid! 

Two figures (Nggwalndu)

Abelam poeple,

Sepik region, Papa New Guinea

19th- early 20th century

Body Masks

Mask (Buk Krar, or Kara)

Torres Strait Islander people, Mabulag Island

Mid to late 19th Century.

Turtle shell, Wood, fiber, feathers, shell

A turtle shell mask was usually used in a funeral ceremony and increase rites, designed to ensure bountiful harvests and and abundance of fish and game. This was often reenacted events from the lives of culture-heroes.

Ancestor figure

Sawos people, Papa New Guinea, 

19th Century or earlier

Headrest (Amba Ragat)

Iatmul people, Aibom village

Papua New Guinea, 19th Century

Water drum (?)

Baby Carrier (Ba')

Borneo, Indonesia

late 19th early 20th century

The baby is carried in the baby carrier until they are two, here the infants soul is being protected from danger. The Kenya/Kayan people believed the child's soul was not firmly attached to its body yet. It could be lured away by spirits, sickness or death. The rattling sounds made by teeth, beads and other amulets attached to the baby carrier repel malevolent spirits that threaten the child inside.

Gable Figure (Dilukal)

Belauan people, Caroline Islands

19th - early 20th century

In the mens house Bai where they had meetings feasts and informal gatherings, they had painted architectural carvings. In som Bai's they had a Dilukal a carved figure of a woman attached to the gable above the entrance. In some oral traditions:

Dilukai is the name of the sister of Atmatuyuk a troublesome man who fled to a Bai with her and was later expelled. To prevent his return, the residents placed a naked image of Dilukai over the entrance, it being forbidden for a brother to see his sister unclothed. 

Men's Ear Ornaments (Batling)

Ilongot people, northern Luzon Islan, Philippines,

late 19th-early 20th century.

Ear ornaments 

Ono Niha people, Nias Island

19th century

Puppet (Si Gale-gale)

Toba Batak people, Sumatra, Indonesia

It is hard to leave the Oceanic world filled with its strong rituals and mysteries. 

Let me know how you feel when you go there, it is absolutely another of New York's Treasures! And one that hits you in the gut!

With Love

Kristin

Previous "Live - In" Sessions at the Met:

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th.