Miniature Bowl Item Number: 3557/16 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Carved wood bowl and stick sealed inside a plastic bag; bag is secured shut with a paper manufacturer's label stapled over the opening. Bowl is oval-shaped with tapering ends; assortment of dot, linear, and circular motifs incised around sides of bowl. Motifs are filled with dark pigment; dried sap molded to pointed edges of bowl, along interior. Stick has a flattened top and cylindrical shaft; bottom edge of top portion has rows of horizontal lines and dots, also filled in with dark pigment. Green card inserted into bag, behind carved miniatures, with images of the bowl and an individual using it; paragraph of text describes bowl, and manufacturing process.
When carving is done, a wooden bowl would have been taken to the river and rubbed against a sandstone until it was smooth.
Purchased by the donor in 1974-1975, possibly from the Wire Trade store, located on the Catholic Mission in Wewak. The items were made by the Au people of West Sepik province (Sandaun), possibly in Aitape?