Cleveland Museum of Art

Malagan Memorial Festival Pole

Date

1800s

Medium

painted wood, sea snail opercula

Culture

Melanesia, New Ireland, 19th century

Department

Oceania

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

At the death of an important individual in New Ireland society, villagers begin preparations for an elaborate funeral (malagan) ceremony. Food is collected for feasts, and artists are commissioned to carve elaborate sculptures and masks. Neighboring groups are invited to the ceremonies, which last for days and include speeches, dancing, music, feasts, and exchanges of goods. The ceremonies climax in the display of the elaborately carved, brightly painted art works. After the guests' departure, the malagan sculptures and masks are discarded, or sometimes stored.

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