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Details
- Other Titles
- Somp, worn by leader of a clan
Kina wallet
Shomp - Place where the work was made
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Map
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Mendi
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Southern Highlands Province
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Papua New Guinea
- Cultural origin
- Mendi people
- Dates
- mid 20th century
collected 1969 - Media category
- Ceremonial object
- Materials used
- wood, red ochre pigment, white pigment, plant seeds, rattan, bark, plant fibre string, sedge grass
- Dimensions
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18.5 x 14.6 x 1.2 cm
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a - sombti, 18.5 x 14.6 x 1.2 cm
b - leaf bundle, 25 x 16 cm, approximate dimensions of leaf bundle
- Credit
- Purchased 1977
- Location
- Not on display
- Accession number
- 258.1977.a-b
- Copyright
- © Mendi people, under the endorsement of the Pacific Islands Museums Association's (PIMA) Code of Ethics
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About
The 'sombti' is a wooden, crescent-shaped object which accompanies the highly valued 'somb'. In former times the 'somb' was kept as an item of prestige - a symbol of clan unity and social solidarity amongst the Mendi of the Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea. The 'sombti' is not as valuable as the 'somb' itself and is made only to decorate the 'somb'.
Many people are involved in making the 'sombti'. One brings the wood which is shaped into a crescent. Another contributes red paint to decorate the 'sombti', while others bring 'ti kulimb', or tree moss, and other materials to decorate the item.
Those involved in making the 'sombti' and decorating the 'somb' are each paid when the 'somb' is sold, even though they may not have contributed to the purchase of the 'somb'.
[see Theodore Mawe, 'Mendi culture and tradition: a recent survey', PNG National Museum, Record No. 10, 1985, pg. 32-41]
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Exhibition history
Shown in 2 exhibitions
Aboriginal and Melanesian art, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 19 Oct 1974 -
Plumes and pearlshells: art of the New Guinea highlands, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 30 May 2014–10 Aug 2014
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Bibliography
Referenced in 3 publications
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Theodore Mawe, Mendi culture and tradition: a recent survey, Port Moresby, 1985, 32-41. General description of the 'somb' and 'sombti' as used in traditional Mendi rituals. Plate no. 1 shows a 'momak somb' and 'sombti' in the collection of the National Museum of PNG: Catalogue numbers 83.45.46 and 83.45.47
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Tony Tuckson, Aboriginal and Melanesian art, Sydney, 1973, 28 (illus.), 50. cat.no. H19
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Natalie Wilson (Editor), Plumes and pearlshells: art of the New Guinea highlands, Sydney, 2014, 66 (colour illus.), 159. cat.no. 9
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