Tabuya pirogue wheel, Aire Massim Papua New Guinea Wood, traces of paint 20th century Height: 21 cm Width: 49.5 cm Provenance: Rainer Verner Bock Collection, Hawaii Rainer Verner Bock Collection, Hawaii The pirogues of the Milne Bay province and neighboring archipelagos, unlike those of other Pacific boats, have bows - tabuya, and breakwaters - lagim. These boats are also works of art in their own right, adorned with intricate, sinuous patterns engraved on their prows and breakwaters. These motifs, often accompanied by magical incantations, were intended to impress and confuse trading partners in order to obtain precious goods. The ornamentation of pirogues was of crucial importance in the Kula system of ceremonial exchange, studied by anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski in the early 20th century. The Massim region is particularly renowned for this maritime exchange of precious shell goods, carried out using beautifully decorated pirogues carved from local trees. The composition of this tabuya revolves around stylized bird heads - sea eagles, whose intertwining and elongated beaks and necks underline the sculpture's organic, moving, even kinetic dimension. The magnificently preserved red and white polychrome enhances the relief and indistinct contours of the bird figures. In contrast to this ornamental density, the openwork spaces carved into the wood lend depth and balance to the whole.