SEPIK RIVER, NEW GUINEA

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In the cultural traditions of New Guinea, flutes often serve more than a musical purpose. They make their voices heard in a wide range of ritual contexts, including initiation ceremonies and harvest celebrations. The sound of the flute speaks for the ancestors and the spirits of nature, carrying blessings for the community and heralding experiences of transition.

Knowledge regarding the construction, playing, and sound symbolism of flutes is an esoteric practice guarded by secluded men’s societies. Among these secrets is a sphere of understanding around flute stoppers, which are critical components used to beautify the instrument and modify its sound. Stoppers are prized objects that are often passed through numerous generations as heirlooms. Elaborately carved in wood, clay, bone, and bamboo, they often depict metaphysical subjects – ancestors, totemic animals, mythological characters – and embody the connectedness of the player and the community with the realm of the spirits.

This is an old cephalomorphic stopper likely dating to the nineteenth century. It presents a striking visage with shell eyes set beneath weighty brows, defined cheeks, and a long, sharp nose with flared nostrils. The surface is richly textured, and lengths of cordage remain attached at the ears.