The Seventh Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art

1 The Bismarck Archipelago is made up of the outer islands of Papua New Guinea, including the East and West New Britain Provinces, New Ireland and Manus Provinces. 2 Tumbuan is a spirit figure with a conical mask constructed with leaves and usually made of two parts; the head and the leaf skirt. Tumbuans are predominantly found in the Bismarck Archipelago and are saturated with magical power. 3 I witnessed this during encounters in East New Britain, including my trip to the Sepik River and attendance at the mask festival filming performances of traditional dance and music. 4 The villages found along the Middle Sepik River speak the Iatmul language and their creativity is widely documented. 5 Some of the best carvers from this area have travelled to the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan and United Kingdom to construct sculptures and art works in museums, universities and art galleries. Artists from the Abelam and Kwoma groups are engaged in APT7, as mentioned by Ruth McDougall in her text. 6 This travel was to film how the Iatmul play their music, on an invitation by the Director of the PNG National Museum and Art Gallery, Dr Andrew Moutu, in April 2012. 7 Mai masks are made of nassa shells and decorated with white, brown and black paints. They are often mounted on a conical mask frame when used for performances. This mask is popular in the Iatmul area. 8 Unfortunately I had no chance to attend a closing ceremony of Tumbuan masks. I was denied permission to film this occasion as it is believed to be made for initiates only. National Mask festival in Kokopo, which brings to life unique and rare masks and performances from groups across Papua New Guinea. The Tumbuans of the West and East New Britain and New Ireland Provinces, for instance, reveal a strong sense of magical power. For the Tumbuan to acquire and demonstrate that power, preparations are stringently and diligently executed. Performers, mask makers, magicians and sponsors abstain from contact with women and live on a strict diet. All preparation, including secret drills, occurs in a secluded place over two to three weeks, away from the public. During the show, Tumbuans hide inside an enclosure built close to the showground and appear accompanied by chants and songs. The host repeatedly sprays kabag (lime) on the performers to prevent attacks by the Tumbuan and other magical spells, which may spoil their ceremony. Creation stories and other mythical themes are danced by the Tumbuan , often in rapid movements as they move towards the venue’s exit. During the performance, Tumbuans are assessed by the elders with attention paid to the steps taken and their movements. When the festival ends, the Tumbuans return to their secluded place to conclude the ceremony 8 . As experiences in the Sepik and the Bismarck Archipelago attest, Papua New Guinean masks and performances have transported the ancestors’ adventures from primordial mythical times and today continue their journey by taking on new forms. It is the strength of the societies’ innermost beliefs and structures that have enabled them to travel this far. Such inner layers are rooted within them and revealed through performances that hold the community together, bringing hope for a future. The masks embody the power of ancestors, gods and mythical beings invited for an occasion to officiate, with offerings such as chickens and betel nuts to send them back to their homes. The power embodied by the mask is a power that is also feared if denied or attacked. The inner layers that mask-performing societies in Papua New Guinea uphold and propagate, even in this era of modernity, hold meaning beyond the actual masks and performances. IATAPAL CULTURAL GROUP Collaborative group Est. unknown Papua New Guinea Tolai people, Iatapal Mary (detail) 2011 Tokatokoi headdresses: Natural fibres, wood, polystyrene, synthetic polymer paint, feathers, metal springs, cane, ribbon / Six headdresses: 91 x 40.5 x 35cm (approx.); 95 x 29.5 x 32cm (approx.); 82 x 39 x 58cm (approx.); 89 x 37.5 x 36cm (approx.); 89 x 34 x 37cm (approx.); 89 x 37 x 36cm (approx.) (without leaf skirts) / Commissioned for APT7 and the Queensland Art Gallery Collection / Purchased 2011. Queensland Art Gallery Foundation / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery 229