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THE SKULL ART of the BISMAM of WEST PAPUA by KATHERINE

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THE SKULL ART of the BISMAM of WEST PAPUA by KATHERINE CONNECTED AND DISCONNECTED: THE SKULL ART OF THE BISMAM OF WEST PAPUA By KATHERINE “ALEX” FLANAGAN A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2005 Copyright 2005 by Katherine “Alex” Flanagan This thesis is dedicated to my mother for her love, advice and financial support. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, I must thank my thesis chair, Dr. Robin Poynor, for maintaining a high level of encouragement through the many years of working on this project. He has provided a multitude of edits at my request and has always given valuable advice. I feel very fortunate to have worked with such an excellent academic who is both friendly and has a charming sense of humor. I must also acknowledge my cochair on this project, Dr. John Scott, who has been very patient as I prepared this document. He provided insightful comments that are very much appreciated. The late Dr. Roy Sieber, formerly of Indiana University, was a Harn Museum eminent scholar, who supervised my independent survey of Oceanic literature in preparation for thesis writing. I am grateful for his support and topic recommendation. Several scholars from museums have taken the time away from their busy schedule to assist me. From the Queensland Museum in Brisbane, Australia, Michael Quinnell allowed me to view several examples of adorned skulls not typically on display as did Dr. Roger Neich from the Auckland Museum in Auckland, New Zealand. Finally, Nicole Peduzzi, Assistant to the Oceania Department from the Museum der Kulturen in Basel, Switzerland, offered astute observations about my research project and responded to me in a timely manner. I appreciate each of these scholars’ time and energy extended on my behalf. iv Several faculty members from the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Florida including Dr. John Ward, Dr. Barbara Barletta, Dr. David Stanley and Dr. Robert Westin have worked with me throughout my years at the university, and they have always taken time to encourage and advise me with regard to this project. I appreciate all of their advice. Newer faculty members, Dr. Alex Alberro, Dr. Melissa Hyde and Dr. Eric Segal, provided fresh inspiration to my project. Over the course of my time at UF many students both art historians and artists, both graduate and undergraduate, have listened to my repeated explanations of this project and sympathize with my struggle to complete it. I wish to thank them for their patience, encouragement and support. Most notable are Susan Cooksey, Barbara Palmer and Sarah Smith, who have certainly listened the most sympathetically for the longest period of time. v TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. iv LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... viii ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................... xii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................1 2 CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION..............................................................................7 History of Contact.........................................................................................................8 Early Exploration...................................................................................................8 Contact and the Dutch Administration................................................................11 Later Contact and the Indonesian Administration...............................................14 Asmat or Bismam? .....................................................................................................17 Asmat Art Areas..................................................................................................18 Bis Pole Production .............................................................................................20 Asmat Language..................................................................................................21 Bismam................................................................................................................23 Background.................................................................................................................23 Natural Environment ...........................................................................................24 Social and Political Organization ........................................................................29 Bismam Cosmology ............................................................................................34 3 ANCESTOR SKULLS...............................................................................................39 Dress and Adornment .................................................................................................40 Fiber Ornaments ..................................................................................................40 Necklaces.............................................................................................................42 Earrings................................................................................................................43 Nose Ornaments ..................................................................................................43 Headdress ............................................................................................................44 Body Paint ...........................................................................................................45 Ornaments as Armament .....................................................................................46 Objects That Convey Status ................................................................................48 Funeral ........................................................................................................................50 vi Death....................................................................................................................50 Burial ...................................................................................................................52 Ancestor Skull Assemblages ...............................................................................53 Protection....................................................................................................................58 Spirits and Lifeforces ..........................................................................................59 Protective Function of Shields and Ancestor Skulls ...........................................61 Protective Designs and Objects...........................................................................62 Communication...........................................................................................................64 Myth of Talking Head .........................................................................................64 Communicative Function of Jipae Masks and Ancestor Skulls..........................67 Adornment of Jipae Mask and Ancestor Skull ...................................................69 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................70 4 TROPHY SKULLS....................................................................................................73 Reciprocity and Revenge............................................................................................74 Headhunting Raid................................................................................................78 Cannibalism.........................................................................................................81 The Use of Skeletal Remains ..............................................................................82 The Use of the Parts of the Head.........................................................................83 Bis Ritual .............................................................................................................84 Bis Display...........................................................................................................88 Growth ........................................................................................................................90 Initiation Ritual....................................................................................................91 Adornment of the Initiate ....................................................................................95 Adornment of the Trophy Skull ..........................................................................96 Display of the Trophy Skull in the Initiation Ritual............................................98 Prestige .......................................................................................................................99 Kus Fe Assemblage ...........................................................................................103 Kus Fe Display ..................................................................................................105 Conclusion ................................................................................................................107 5 CONCLUSION.........................................................................................................109
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