SPIRIT FIGURE

Spirit boards were not simply static representations of spirits, but were believed to be inhabited by them as well. The carvers of these pieces communicated movement in a variety of ways. In particular, Elema carvers used special techniques to evoke movement and vibrancy. This spirit board is an excellent example of their skill. Here, the left kneecap appears higher than the right, which is meant to represent motion (Welsch, Webb, and Haraha, Coaxing the Spirits to Dance: Art and Society in the Papuan Gulf of New Guinea, Hanover, 2006, p. 13). Similarly, one elbow is slightly raised in comparison to the other and the figure looks to be leaning on his left leg, as if dancing in celebration.