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Asmat

People Papua Selatan PEO-0006

Maintained

A people of the southern Papuan coastal swamps, widely known for their woodcarving, whose cosmological framework places human beings, trees and ancestors in a single continuous series.

Carving and the men's house

Carvers, wowipits, work on commission and within ceremonial sequences, not for a market. Bisj poles are carved for particular ceremonies and afterwards left to rot in the sago groves — that decay is part of the intent, not neglect. The museum preservation of bisj poles therefore alters their meaning, and this is disputed.

Sources 1

Origin narrative

The content of this section is not reproduced — tier: Summary only

An origin narrative exists which accounts for the coming of human beings from carved wood. Its telling is authorised to senior carvers within particular ceremonial sequences. The details, the names and the sequence are not reproduced here.

The Asmat customary council has determined that the origin narrative is not to be reproduced in full in general publication. What is published is only the statement that it exists, who is authorised to tell it, and in what circumstances.

Asmat customary council · 2024-06-19 · Access is requested from that body, not from Indonesiana.

Keep reading

Language Asmat The Asmat–Kamoro family of the southern Papuan coast, comprising several varieties. Maintained Papua (non-Austronesia) Place Asmat swamp Dataran rawa pasang surut di pesisir selatan Papua, ditempuh dengan perahu dan tanpa jalan darat. Papua Selatan Object Bisj pole A carved wooden pole made for a particular ceremony and afterwards left to decay in the sago groves. Attenuated Papua Selatan