Rare Kanak "kagu" Wooden Bird Beak Puzzle, New Caledonia, 19th Century

This rare antique Kukukuku (pronounced "cookah-cookah") war club is from the remote highlands of Papua New Guinea. It features a head made of stone in the characteristic 'pineapple' ...

Bamana N'tomo mask, Mali, 20th century "Generally surmounted by three to eight horns forming a comb, the N'tomoface mask refers to a moment of compulsory education given to uncircumcised young boys in certain West African societies. The mask's discreet, even absent, mouth emphasizes the behavior expected of them in their future adult life after training: controlling and measuring their words, knowing how to keep quiet, preserving secrets and enduring pain in silence." Excerpt from Masques du N'tomo, Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière Collection, Musée du Quai Branly Jacques Chirac, France. The Bambara, or Bamana, live in central and southern Mali. Their name means “unbeliever” and was given to them by the Muslims. Animists, they believe in the existence of a creator god called Ngala, who maintains the order of the universe and coexists with another androgynous god called Faro, master of the Word, who gave all qualities to mankind and makes the fruits of the earth grow. Traditional Bamana art objects are closely linked to agrarian rites. The Bamana dance these masks during initiation and circumcision ceremonies for young boys in the Ntomo society. The face, with its vertical outgrowths at the top, adopts geometric features beneath a rounded forehead, including an imposing busted nose, as the Bamana favor this organ in their statuary as it evokes sociability and clan cohesion. Indeed, during choreography, the dancer frequently touches the nose of the mask. As teaching aids for candidates, masks from societies accessible to young boys and adults, such as the N'tomo, Korè and Ci wara...

Fiji Ula Club Polynesian war club Tribal Oceanic A  good antique Fiji  Ula throwing club With naturally occurring root fissures on the ball head  Good condition with minor age cra...

A Polynesian ironwood Gata waka or war club Fiji, probably 18th century or earlier Measures: Height. 97 cm Including museum-quality powder-coated stand. Provenance: Private collection, France Polynesian culture is traditionally a culture of power and prestige, and there was a fine line between battle and ceremony. Warrior people par excellence, the Fijians had at their disposal a large panoply of weapons, each for a specific use. The elegant Gata are called gun-sticks by Europeans due to the recognizable form. However, they are designed after a snake, gata in Fijian language. The Ula throwing clubs...