selections from the oceania collection of the indiana university art

8/14/2019 Selections From the Oceania Collection of the Indiana University Art

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Selections From the OceaniaCollection of the

Indiana University ArtMuseum


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Where is Oceania? The vast area of the South Pacific

including: Polynesia, Melanesia,Micronesia

Some scholars also include Australiaand Indonesia

Thousands of islands, many of which

are still uninhabited


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The Importance of Genealogy

in Polynesia Genealogy is the study of families and the

tracing of their lineages and history

In Polynesia, elite society members tracetheir ancestry to the Gods

Artworks were considered precious familyheirlooms


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Mana and Tapu

In Polynesia, mana is a supernaturalenergy or power possessed by all things,both living and non-living

A priest or artist was thought to have a

great deal ofmana, while a commonperson would have less

Mana was believed to be inheritedthrough physical contact

A tapu (or taboo) is an assignedrestriction to protect mana. By followingthe prescribed action or avoidance, thetapu would ensure the mana did not loseenergy or power.


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Australia

Melanesia comes from the Greek word for black, referring to the dark-

skinned people who lived there

In Melanesia, status was based on achievement, military success, and birth

rite.

Most Melanesian artworks were for one time use and discarded


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Micronesia is made of thousands of tiny islands, thus the name

micro from Greek which means tiny.


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European Exploration

Captain James Cook was a Britishexplorer who came to Oceania in the18th century

Europeans destroyed the culture ofOceania by the introduction ofreligion, and European diseases


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Hei Tiki (Pendant)Maori Peoples, New Zealand

19th Century

Nephrite and Haliotis shell

Made of most precious, darkgreen stoneInfused with mana by the artistand worn to increase the wearersmana

Meaning of this form is debated


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Female FigureHaapai Island Group, Tonga18th CenturyWhale ivory

Inter-island trade between

Tonga and Fiji makes itdifficult to tell where thiswas created

Ivory originally came frombeached whales, until theEuropeans made contact

Figure exemplifies ideals of

female beauty


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Fly- Whisk HandleAustral Islands or Tahiti,

Society IslandsBefore 1818Whale ivory, wood,vegetable fiber

Extremely rare object

Would have had fibers orfeathers on the end to swatflies and keep cool

Repetition of humanbodies implies the

importance ofmana and


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DrumAustral Islands

1800-1850Tamunu wood,

sharkskin, vegetablefiber

Hundreds of human

forms are carved intothis drum using metaltools

Made from hollowedlog, sharkskin, andvegetable fiber

The tone of the drum

can be modified by


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Stilt StepMarquesas Islands19th Century

Wood

Stilt tied to foot with brightlycolored fibers

Stilts used in games andceremonies to please thegods

The representation of ahuman form in Marquesanculture is called a tiki


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Crescent shape signifies the moon

Chest pieces were made of several types ofmaterials such as bone or shell

There was only one source of wood onEaster Island

Chest Ornament

Easter IslandWood, obsidian, bone


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Male Figure (MaoiKavakava)Easter Island

Early to mid 19th CenturyWood, obsidian, bone

Figure would have been

worn on a string orcarried during dancing

Easter Islanders wereabducted from their landand forced into slavery

Most of Easter Islandersdied due to slavery and

European diseases


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Pendant Necklace (LeiPalaoa)Hawaii1800-1850Walrus ivory, human hair,fiber

Worn by important manor woman

Each stand made of 90hairs

Hair and the head wereregarded as sacred


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Maori People, North Island,New Zealand

Canoe BailerEarly 19th Century

Heavy use indicated by

patina and chipping

Used to bail water out ofa war canoe

Stylized face with flaringnostrils and off-set eyes


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New Georgia Group,Solomon Islands

Canoe Prow Ornament19th CenturyWood, shell, pigment

Object to be placed on thefront of a canoe forprotection from weatherand enemies

Could have been used as asign of success or failure inraids

Shows t ical dress of


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Neo Village, Temotu, SantaCruz IslandsMale Figure (Munga Dukna)Wood, fiber, shell, turtleshell, turmeric

Image of a deity used

exclusively by men

Would have been rubbedwith ceremonial oils and

dressed in ornaments

Religious objects weredestroyed by Europeanmissionaries


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Northern Madak peoples,Malom Village, New IrelandMemorial Figure (Uli)Wood, lime, pigment, shell,sea snail operculum, fiber

Used as a commemorativefigure to honor the death ofa leader

Has both male and femaleanatomy

Face was originally paintedwhite


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Lower Sepik River area,Papua New Ginea

Commemorative FigureBefore 1908Wood, pigment, fiber

Represents an ancestoror mythological hero

Wearing a bilim, a bag

suspended from the neck

Red color signifies malestrength and virility


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Kambot or nearby peoples,Papua New Guinea

Mask

Constructed with many typesof materials including:wood,rattan, clay, cowrie shells,

nassa shells, boar tusks, human

hair, pearl shell, fiber

Ownership of pigs indicated

wealth, curly tusks veryvaluable

Shells were exchanged

between islands as currency


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Biwat peoples, Papua NewGuineaFigure for a sacred flute

Wood, shell, boar tusk,human hair cassowaryfeathers, fiber, pigment

Scared flutes wereextremely valuable

This would be inserted inthe end of a sacred flute

Elaborately decorated withshells, feathers, and humanhair


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Iatmul People, Papua NewGuinea

Mask (Mai)Late 19th or 20th centuryWood, pigment, cowrieshells

This is only part of anentire mask

A pair of these maskswould have been wornduring ceremonies

Mask would also be worn

by leaders during other


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Asmat peoples,Papau,IndonesiaSeated Female Figure

Before 1913Wood, pigment, seeds, fiber

Mimics a creation story

Created in honor of adeceased relative

Created by a master carver

Resembles a prayingmantis


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Erub Island, AustraliaMask

19th centuryTurtle shell, clam shell,resin, sennit, wood, humanhair, cassowary feathers

Made using hawksbillturtle shell

Intricate carving

Researchers did notclosely study Oceania untilit had already been

missionised by the


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Batak peoples,Sumatra,Indonesia

Priests hornWood, buffalo horn

Horn used by a powerfulritual specialist to heal sickand ensure success inmilitary endeavors

Has composite animal

forms

Batak people had contactwith the Hindu people

through trade and wereinfluenced b their desi ns


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Discussion Questions

What objects in our culture may beregarded as sacred?

What types of materials are foundlocally that could be used to createart?

How is the concept of ancestry and

genealogy discussed in your family?

selections from the oceania collection of the indiana university art

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