Lot 88
Oceania, Melanesia, Solomon Islands, Bougainville Province, Buka Island, Buka people, ca. 19th century CE. A marvelously well-preserved ceremonial canoe paddle (hose) carved from lightweight, finely grained wood with certain areas accentuated with black and red pigment. The lengthy oar exhibits a stocky handle with a rounded lower end as well as an elongated, petaloid paddle head that tapers to a narrow tip. Displayed on the obverse is the disembodied head of a kokorra, a spiritual figure prevalent during pre-expedition ceremonies and headhunting ventures. The sizable kokorra head exhibits large eyes beneath slanted brows, a triangular nose, shell-adorned ears, and a bulbous, tapered headdress called a hassebou. The reverse side shows a slender, vertical midrib that perhaps represents a second, smaller paddle based on the red petaloid 'head' that terminates concurrently with the tip of the larger paddle. Fabulous patina envelops the entirety of this ceremonial paddle. Size: 6.25" W x 71.3" H (15.9 cm x 181.1 cm); 72.7" H (184.7 cm) on included custom stand.
According to the curatorial team at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, "Kokorra is the name of a powerful spirit associated with men's secret societies and masking traditions in the region . . . [and] are typically shown as seated figures with flexed limbs splayed out to the sides and wearing the distinctive bulbous coiffures or ritual headdresses (hassebou) formerly worn by local men. In the past canoe paddles of the present type were reportedly used during trading expeditions and headhunting raids . . . [and] frequently show little evidence of use, suggesting they were ceremonial objects or employed only briefly during important expeditions."
For a strikingly similar example, please see Meyer, Anthony J.P. "Oceanic Art." Koneman Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Koln, 1995, p. 396, fig. 441.
For another stylistically similar example with full Kokorra figures, please see The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 1978.412.1491
Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-Michael Evans collection, New Zealand, acquired in 2007
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#154560
- Condition: Minor nicks and abrasions to paddle head and handle, with light fading to original pigmentation, and a few stable hairline fissures, otherwise intact and excellent. Nice remains of original pigment and smooth patina throughout.
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