A fine Kerewa spirit board (Titi Ebiha), Kerewa people, Goaribari Island; Gulf province Papua New Guinea. (C. First half 20th Century). Of classical style for the region, the upper portion of the board with a large classical head carved with arching brows and round eyes, nose and mouth classically carved with stick-figure like arms and stylized body. Concentric designs to the lower portion of the sides. Signs of age and traditional use.Spirit boards of the Papuan Gulf were traditionally made in the Central and Eastern areas. They were routinely found in the Men’s houses of the Kerewa, the peoples of the Era River and Wapo Creek, Purari delta areas and from the Urama river as far east as the Elema people.The boards were believed to be the abode of an Imunu, or spirit entity that is represented on the front, though the connection of the image to the spirt is not really a clear one-to-one depiction and the iconography is far more complex in nature.In each locale the ethnic name was different – Titi Ebiha among the Kerewa, Gope among the peoples of the Era and Wapo areas. The Purari used both the terms Gope and Kwoi depending on their location while the Elema region called them Hohao. Stylistically the imagery also varied greatly, with the Kerewa often depicting entire figures while the neighboring peoples of the Era, Wapo and Purari reducing the forms to abstracted shapes.Many of the boards were cut from old war canoes, though in the Kerewa region many were simply made of flatter timber cut for the purpose. This example is somewhat aberrant in its form, but well within the Kerewa canon of style. Examples of the type were field photographed in the 60’s in situ. Acquired by Marc Seidler from George Craig, C. 1980, Field collected by Craig prior to 1966. Measures 40 inches tall x 15.5 inches wide.

Fair, well handled