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A Superb Old New Guinea Sago Pounder Ramu River Area Madang Province Papua New Guinea


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Collection No. SOLD
Size 61cm
A Superb Old New Guinea Sago Pounder Ramu River Area Madang Province Papua New Guinea
A Superb Old New Guinea Sago Pounder Ramu River Area Madang Province Papua New Guinea
A Superb Old New Guinea Sago Pounder Ramu River Area Madang Province Papua New Guinea
A Superb Old New Guinea Sago Pounder Ramu River Area Madang Province Papua New Guinea
A Superb Old New Guinea Sago Pounder Ramu River Area Madang Province Papua New Guinea
A Superb Old New Guinea Sago Pounder Ramu River Area Madang Province Papua New Guinea

A Superb Old New Guinea Sago Pounder Ramu River Area Madang Province Papua New Guinea

Sago Pounders & many utilitarian objects are beautifully carved & decorated with ancestral images & totemic animals which is a visual reminder of the presence of their ancestors in day-to-day activities. Some carvers were famous for their utilitarian carvings like this Sago Pounder and they were highly sought by family members and clan members & even other villages.  This fione example has an abstract bird carving that was the artist’s signature carving.

Sago is the staple food for many people on the Island of New Guinea. Sago is a starch extracted from the pith, or spongy core tissue, of various tropical palm stems, especially those of Metroxylon sagu.  It is traditionally cooked and eaten in various forms, such as rolled into balls, mixed with boiling water to form a glue-like paste, or as a pancake.

The whole family or extended family would have to go out to make sago flour every 2 weeks or so. First, the people usually have to travel some distance to where there are still many Sago Trees belonging to their clan the traditional owners of that land. The tree is cut down by men & then it is split open to expose the pith inside. The Pith is then extracted & pounded with a Sago Pounder like this example before being put through a sieve, the pith is then washed through a sieve. When the sago is washed through this process it coagulates at the bottom of the sieve where when settles it can be cut into blocks and carried back to the village in homemade backpacks. This will feed a family for 2 weeks or so, it is hard work but a regular routine for many people in New Guinea.

Provenance: Old Collection Australia and The Todd Barlin Collection of New Guinea Oceanic Art

See my new EXHIBITIONS GALLERY  showing the Museums and Art Galleries Exhibitions that I provided artworks for over the past 40 years. There is the link to the article about my artworks published in the prestigious Louvre Magazine in 1996

I have artwork for Museums and art Galleries but also for collectors at every stage of their collecting. I want to encourage people to explore the fine art of New Guinea & West Papua and the Pacific Islands and to be able to see and touch the artworks in a relaxed and friendly manner in my Sydney Gallery. I would like to invite you to visit my gallery and see the artworks in person and also look at my website www.oceanicartsaustralia.com where there are many Galleries & Sub Galleries to explore.

My Gallery of nearly 40 years is the last physical gallery in Sydney that specializes in New Guinea and Oceanic Art.  Sydney is very close to New Guinea & the Pacific Islands where all of these amazing artworks came from, Australia’s closest neighbors.

INQUIRE HERE

If you have a similar “object” for sale please contact me for the best price and honest advice by a Government approved valuer 

To see many more rare items and the finest masterpieces, please make an appointment with us to visit the gallery.

For all inquiries, please contact us 

 

 

NQUIRE HERE

 

If you have a similar “object” for sale please contact me for the best price and honest advice by a Government approved valuer 

To see many more rare items and the finest masterpieces, please make an appointment with us to visit the gallery.

For all inquiries, please contact us.