New Guinea & Island Melanesia 1 3 CASE Sepik Style Area: Highland Style Area: STUDIES Abelam Men’s House Mt. Hagen Body Decoration Asmat Style Area: Memorial ‘bis’ poles 2 OVERVIEW OF OTHER STYLE AREAS Huon Gulf Geelvink Bay/Sentani Papuan Gulf Torres Straits Trobriand Islands 3 ISLAND MELANESIA NEW BRITAIN NEW IRELAND SOLOMON ISLANDS VANUATU NEW CALEDONIA CASE STUDY: BAINING – NEW BRITAIN OVERVIEW OTHER CULTURE AREAS 4 Abelam Artist ARTISTS: Not Anonymous Trained Recognized for their skill and imagination Asmat Artist Highland artist at work 5 Highland New Guinea Focus: Body Decoration 6 INTERIOR HIGHLANDS: BODY TRANSFORMATION - THE PRINCIPAL AREA OF AESTHETIC FOCUS 7 Solomon Islands Independence Painting – a sacred activity Day - Peace Corps Face Painting Paint – the tangible substance by Concession which benefits of a ceremony are transferred to the participants Mt. Hagen – Decorating for ‘sing sing’ 8 Highland Ceremonial Exchange system: The Moka – the means by which individuals compete for prestige 9 Areas of competition: Shell Valuables Body Decoration Performance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3g0qD- DyKY&feature=related (Series of still photographs) 10 Decoration discussed both in terms of the complete costume /presentation and the face painting specifically 11 Exchange promoted by war As well as the drive for prestige http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeuaK4- ksLI&feature=related (tribal fighting) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cPLzna 5qjE (Independence fighting: IrianJaya) 12 Opposition between ‘dark’ gendered male and ‘bright’ gendered female 13 Bird Symbolism: cycles of growth & renewal: youth to maturity and periodic renewal (linked to exchange ceremonies) 14 Feathers as an important material in decoration Bird symbolism reflected in coloring – reddened eyes of the cassowary to signal aggression. 15 Bird Symbolism reflects ideas of ‘individuality’ within group identity 16 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nS1tEnf kk6M Bird of Paradise as metaphor for ‘human’ being 17 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFL0f6k nC3Q Mt. Hagen Cultural Festival 18 Anti-Aesthetic characterizes ‘mourning’ display 19 Asarao Mudmen – the only Highland Masquerade form 20.