Yipwon Hunting Charm

The larger yipwons were kept in the men’s ceremonial house, the distinctive hook figures (yipwon) from  the Korewori River region formerly played a central role in hunting and warfare. Depicting powerful ancestral spirits, the figures served as vessels into which the spirits were called before a hunt or raid and presented with offerings. The yipwon then went forth during the night to slay the souls of the game or human enemies, enabling the men to easily kill the actual animals or enemies the following day.  Yipwon images portray both external and internal features of the spirits. Although highly stylized, the head relatively naturalistic in comparison to the  series of opposed, concentric hooks depicting the ribs, rotated ninety degrees from their normal orientation and surrounding a central element representing the heart.

This sculpture is presented on a custom metal stand

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