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Pacific Pathways • Caroline Yacoe • 223 Paiko Drive • Honolulu, Hawaii 96821 • Phone/Text (808) 384-5438 • e-mail: cyacoepp@gmail.com
Melanesia
Haus Tambaran (men’s house) in Kuvenmas village, Middle Sepik River, Papua New Guinea. Masks above doors depict the female protective spirit of the village. The carving on the roof of a man with a bird on his shoulder signifies the collective fighting spirit of the men of the village.
Don Yacoe high on a ridge in Tongpalm village North Ambrym, Vanuatu 1990. This figure Makenbul representing the owner’s ancestral spirit and his achievement of a higher grade in the Nimangki society was part of ceremonies in 1968
The people of Melanesia remain among the most traditional in the Pacific Islands. Many beliefs and art works, part of their cultures prior to Western contact, continue to this day. Diverse and complex forms using a variety of materials all combined in one piece characterize Melanesian art. Extraordinary masks and sculptures and architecture, which incorporate carved and painted decorations, are common art forms. One definition of a culture’s resilence and durability is it’s ability to adapt to change. These contemporary paintings from Papua New Guinea attest to that concept!
Examples and field photographs
Papua New Guinea
Contemporary Papua New Guinea
Solomon Islands
Vanuatu
Fiji
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