Flute/Whistle

Sacred Tribal Flute

Lower Sepik Region, New Guinea
Melanesia - Papua New Guinea

Wood / Bamboo / Cowrie Shells / Twine
Early 20th Century

Height: 99cm (3 ft 3 inches)

Rare old Tribal Flute Stopper and bamboo flute. The hand carved flute stopper is in the form of a face with what looks to be a bat at the base. This stopper fits into a bamboo flute which has a mouth piece of carved wood at the opposite end. This flute was collected in the early 1950s and was considered an old piece at that time. Sacred flutes, such as this were used in the Men's Haus Tambaran, a meeting-house and site for rituals and initiations.

Owner:
Catalog#: HWMC

© Hartenberger World Music Collection