Large carved wooden "Ancestor's Pole," dating between 1950 and 1960, coming from Irian Jaya, Indonesia. The Asmats did not believe in natural causes of death. This was not only due to the fact that numerous Asmats were killed in fightings between the villages: passing away after an illness or in old age was considered to be the result of witchcraft and was in turn the starting point for new fightings with other villages. After the death of an Asmat an ancestor pole was made. Men w ...click for details
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