A New Guinea, East Sepik Province, Warasei people, yam cult female figure

nogwi, fragmentary at the base, the cylindrical torso decorated with dynamic geometric and linear motifs carved in low relief, the protruding breasts beneath rounded shoulders pitched forward with arms held to the sides and splayed hands, the head with sharply angled jawline, and expressive face with upturned mouth baring teeth, straight nose with pierced septum and spool-like eyes; weathered surface with black, white, yellow and red pigments.

Collected by Wayne Heathcote in the Warasei area, 1965

Bruce Seaman, Tahiti

Wardwell, Island Ancestors: Oceanic Art from the Masco Collection, 1994: 84, number 27, catalog of the exhibition at The Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, June 11-August 6, 1995 (see bibliography for additional venues)

As described by Wardwell (1994: 84), this carving would have been one of two in a village representing the female spirit Hameiyau or Sanggriyau. Both were used during the third and last yam harvest ceremony, nogwi, which was attended only by the most powerful men in the community.