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Details
- Other Titles
- Yupin figure
Figure, Upin with male and female organs
Yupini
Yupin with male and female organs - Place where the work was made
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Laiagam
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Enga Province
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Papua New Guinea
- Cultural origin
- Yandapu-Enga people
- Dates
- (mid 20th century)
collected 1963 - Media categories
- Mixed media , Ceremonial object
- Materials used
- coil-woven vine and rattan, dried plant fibre
- Dimensions
- 51.0 x 34.0 x 23.5 cm figure
- Credit
- Gift of Stan Moriarty 1978
- Location
- Not on display
- Accession number
- 284.1978
- Copyright
- © Yandapu-Enga people, under the endorsement of the Pacific Islands Museums Association's (PIMA) Code of Ethics
- Share
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About
Illness or misfortune among the Enga and Ipili people was customarily attributed to ancestral ghosts. The success of crops, welfare of pigs and children, or victory in battle could all be hindered by a restless ancestor. Sacred rituals to placate the ancestors were held at special sites with only ritual experts, certain tribal elders and novices present.
The 'kepele' ritual, whose influence spread across the western Enga and Ipili region, was the largest of all fertility rituals. Lasting for five to six days, the 'kepele' involved ceremonial dances, the sacrifices of pigs, feasting and ritual training of young men. 'Kepele' culminated in the simulated 'mating' of woven 'yupini' figures with sacred stones, which represented the ancestors. The 'yupini' and sacred stones were then fed pork, and magic 'spells' were recited. Finally, the 'yupini' and sacred stones were laid to rest in a cult house until the next 'kepele' was called.
Exhibition text for 'Plumes and pearlshells: art of the New Guinea highlands', AGNSW, 2014
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Places
Where the work was made
Laiagam
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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 6 publications
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Willibald Blank, Anthropos, 'Ein Fruchtbarkeitsidol aus dem westlichen Hochland von Neuguinea', pg. 907-08, Sankt Augustin, 1963. General reference to 'yupin' plaited fibre figures. Reproduction of 'yupin' figure in the collection of the Anthropos Institute.
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Heinz Christian Dosedla, Abhandlungen und Berichte des Staatlichen Museums fur Volkerkunde Dresden [Band 41], 'Kultfiguren aus Flechtwerk im zentralen Hochland von PNG', pg. 86-98, Berlin, 1984. General reference to 'timbu wara' and 'yupin' plaited fibre figures.
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Philip Gibbs, Anthropos, 'The Kepele Ritual of the Western Highlands of Papua New Guinea', pg. 434-448, Sankt Augustin, 1978. General reference to 'yupin' plaited fibre figures and description of the Kepele Ritual.
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Roger Neich, Records (vol. 1, no. 2), 'Basketwork fertility figures from the Western Enga and nearby groups, Western and Southern Highlands, New Guinea', pg. 33-62, Wellington, 25 Nov 1975, 42, 43 (illus.). figure no. 4
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Tony Tuckson, Aboriginal and Melanesian art, Sydney, 1973, 36 (illus.), 53. cat.no. H122
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Natalie Wilson (Editor), Plumes and pearlshells: art of the New Guinea highlands, Sydney, 2014, 71 (colour illus.), 160. cat.no. 18
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