Asmat Art - In-Depth Reading Notes

Reading 1 - Asmat Art -Woodcarvings of New Guinea

Introduction

• Asmat woodcarving is a unique form of art that embodies the spiritual connection of the Asmat people with their ancestors.

• The art serves as a medium of communication between the living and the dead, reinforcing community ties and cultural identity.

• Common materials include wood from local forests, including sago, and natural pigments like red ocher, lime, and charcoal.

• Color Scheme: Predominantly using red, white, and black shades which are derived from local natural resources.

Chapter 1: The Asmat: Life, Death, and the Ancestors

• Population: Approximately 64,000 Asmat people residing in the coastal swamps of southwest New Guinea.

• Traditional lifestyle involves gathering, hunting, and fishing, utilizing the rich natural resources of the area.

• The spiritual significance of death shapes cultural practices, including extensive mourning rituals.

• Death is viewed as a transformation that requires proper rituals for the deceased to reach the spirit realm (Safan).

Chapter 2: History: Colony, Mission, and Nation

• Colonial Influence: The Asmat's first interactions with European colonizers, particularly the Dutch, and the impact on their traditional way of life.

• Significant events included Dutch exploration and missionary activities, which led to major cultural changes.

• Key figures: Captain Antony JAN Gooszen, who conducted military explorations in the early 20th century collecting Asmat artifacts.

Chapter 3: Jipae: Festival of the Mask Costumes

• Jipae Festival: A significant event that honors deceased relatives; involves elaborate rattan and palm fiber mask costumes.

• Mask Types: "Younger brother" (basket-like) and "older brother" (rope construction), each symbolizing different aspects of spirituality and community.

• Rituals during the festival include inviting the spirits of the deceased back to the community.

Chapter 4: Wowipitsj: The Asmat Woodcarver

• Every Asmat man is trained to carve wood, but master woodcarvers (wowipitsj) specialize in creating significant cultural artworks.

• Prestige is gained through the artistry of carvings rather than material wealth; wooden items serve practical and spiritual purposes.

Chapter 5: Woodcarving Art: Style Regions and Motifs

• Four stylistic regions identified: Northwest Asmat, Central Asmat, Citak, and Brazza River.

• Differences in Carving: Variations in shapes, designs, and motifs based on regional characteristics.

• Common motifs include recognizable animals (particularly flying foxes), abstract geometric forms, and human figures.

Chapter 6: Brazza: The Art of the Northeast

• The Bras people, living northeast of the Asmat, have a distinct artistic style centered predominantly around large shields.

• Shields often display a face and serve both a protective and symbolic role, carrying the names of deceased ancestors.

Chapter 7: Catalog of Woodcarvings

• Section dedicated to documenting and describing significant Asmat wood carvings, focusing on shields and figure sculptures.

• Shields serve varied purposes, from protection in battle to honoring ancestors.

• Figures often depict human forms and embody community identities and histories.

Chapter 8: Atjametsj: Unique Collection of Statues and Shields

• The Atjametsj collection consists of a significant group of seven statues and seven shields, showcasing the artistic heritage tied to the community's ancestors.

• The roles of shield and statue in commemorating relatives highlight the connection of art to cultural rituals and memory.

Chapter 9: Collection: Military, Explorers, and Anthropologists

• The Asmat collection at the National Museum of Ethnology in Leiden has historical significance, detailing military and exploratory encounters with the Asmat.

• Objects collected over periods reflect varying styles and meanings associated with the Asmat people.

Chapter 10: Art Today: Woodcarving in Transition

• Contemporary Asmat art reflects both traditional roots and adaptations influenced by outside cultures and modernity.

• Revival of Woodcarving: A resurgence in Asmat art due to increased tourism and the establishment of local art museums, promoting cultural pride and craftsmanship.

• New forms of art emerge, blending traditional motifs with new influences, signaling an evolution in Asmat artistic expression.

Reading 2 - Asmat Art: Expression of Life Transcending Death

Asmat Art: Expression of Life Transcending Death

• Overview: Asmat art is characterized by representations of deceased relatives through carvings such as human figures, ancestor poles (bis), shields, and masks.

• These artworks are imbued with spirits and serve important communicative functions, including bringing the dead back to the living and reminding the community of their duty to avenge deaths.

• Cultural Context:

• The Asmat population in southwest New Guinea lives in a marshy tropical environment with intricate waterways, emphasizing a connection with nature and the importance of canoes for life and culture.

• Historical influences include Dutch and Japanese rule, as well as missionary activities, yet traditional practices persist, particularly related to sago and canoe usage.

• Social Structure:

• The ceremonial house (yeu) is central to Asmat society, where rituals and important events take place. It exhibits a blend of mythology and practical functions, facilitating community bonding and ancestral reverence.

• Mythology and Ceremonial Practices:

• Fumeripic, the primeval hero in Asmat mythology, created the first humans from wooden figures, establishing life through ceremonial music and ritual.

• Asmat rituals often maintain contact with ancestor spirits through drumming and singing, reinforcing ties with the community’s history.

• Headhunting Tradition:

• Headhunting was integral to the Asmat culture, intertwined with ideas of life, death, honor, and spirituality. It was believed to ensure the cosmos's balance and was seen as a sacred duty rather than mere savagery.

• Each death needed to be avenged, as the spirits of the deceased would linger, potentially disturbing the living. This ritualistic cycle of revenge and reconciliation emphasizes the interconnectedness of life and death.

• Symbolism in Art:

• Artworks reflect vital cultural beliefs, with designs often depicting headhunting symbols (e.g., praying mantises, hornbills) and cosmic signifies (e.g., the whimsical representation of reproductive symbols in art).

• The bis poles, which honor the dead, embody the promise made by the living to avenge the deceased, having significant cultural and spiritual meanings.

• Ceremonial Events:

• Important rituals such as the bis ceremony involve detailed processes of carving and consecrating the poles, enlivening the spiritual connection between the living and the deceased.

• The mask feast (jipae) allows for social cohesion, where masqueraders represent deceased relatives, providing support to orphans and widows, while simultaneously fostering community welfare.

• Evolution of Asmat Art:

• In recent years, Asmat art has experienced significant change, creating categories influenced by external factors such as tourism and cultural preservation efforts.

• Evolution in craftsmanship and thematic representation reflect both continuity and innovation as artists incorporate new motifs while preserving ancestral traditions.

Reading 3 - The Asmat - MET article

The Asmat People

• Population: Approximately 70,000 residing in southwestern New Guinea along river systems flowing into the Arafura Sea.

• Society: Divided into several hundred villages ranging in size from 35 to 2,000 inhabitants.

Beliefs and Culture

• The Asmat have a profound belief in the close relationship between humans and trees, recognizing wood as the source of life.

• Fumeripits: The legendary culture hero, regarded as the first wood carver. All subsequent woodcarvers (wowipits) are expected to continue his craft.

Tradition and Artistry

• Wood Carving: A flourishing tradition; ancestral figures are carved from wood and displayed in men's ceremonial houses (jeu). These figures represent ancestors but are not direct portraits, sharing generalized features and body types. A common pose is the elbows-to-knees position (wenet pose), reminiscent of the pose humans assume at birth and death.

• War Shields: Created for warfare and protection, the designs carved and painted on them endow the shields with ancestral power.

• Bis Poles: Impressive art pieces reaching up to twenty feet tall, commemorating important individuals (often warriors) and assisting with the transport of souls to the ancestors' realm. Crafted from mangrove trees, they feature stacked ancestral figures.

• Body Masks: Full-length costumes made of plaited cordage including rattan, bark, and sago leaf fiber, usually painted red and white, for funerary ceremonies known as jipae.

Collection at the Metropolitan Museum

• The museum holds an outstanding collection of Asmat art, primarily collected by Michael C. Rockefeller in 1961, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the Asmat people.