Marupai, Gulf of Papua, Papua Papua New Guinea Coconut, trace of lime, fiber Length: 10 cm Provenance: Former Former Norbert Letourneur collection Carved from a type of "dwarf" coconut, this marupai represents a stylized pig's head. It was used to protect against evil spirits and magical spells. The marupai amulet was a manifestation of the intimate bond between its owner and the forest spirit that animated it. These mysterious relics were usually worn in small baskets around the neck. Their complex manufacture involved a painstaking carving process. The sculptor - magician or village chief - would shape a dwarf coconut into stylized zoomorphic features, as here, those of a pig with a half-open mouth, while incorporating complex geometric patterns and a double series of faces, which he would then rub with white lime to bring out their prominence and brilliance. Viewing the amulet in profile, you could see the animal, but holding it vertically, its eyes were transformed into those of a human face. These charms were mainly intended for male initiates, although some women were allowed to possess one. Usually inherited from a deceased uncle, they could nevertheless be acquired from a sorcerer. They were filled with magical charges such as aromatic barks, seeds and bones, which were deposited through the amulet's open mouth. When spells were cast, the spirit inside the amulet could aid in hunting, offer protection against disease or, under the influence of a sorcerer, cause the destruction of enemies. Marupai are linked to the notion of imunu, the belief that every being contains a spirit or vital energy. Charged with this vital force, the marupai became a living being, to be honored, nourished and smeared with coconut oil.