Lower Sepik River Carvings (Art-Pacific.com: New Guinea tribal art and Indonesian folk art)

The Lower Sepik area begins between Tambanum and Angoram villages and continues out to the Bismarck Sea. The lower tributary rivers include the Yuat, the Keram and the Pora Pora. Their villages have distinct styles. Angoram and other lower Sepik villages, the coastal villages, the Murik Lakes and the off-shore islands share variations on a common style.

Lower Sepik carvings are usually male. Figures are slightly stooped. Faces are oval with beaked noses and diagonal eyes. Carvers highlight incised geometric detail with white lime which stands out on the simple, dark backgrounds. Contemporary carvers often add more color and more detail.

Bowls, mortars and utilitarian objects are carved for local use and also for trade. Trade and coastal migrations gave Lower Sepik and coastal villages more access to different ideas and this is often reflected in their art.

Figure 2: Lower Sepik betel nut mortar with four male faces and incised detail.

back to Guide to Sepik River Carvings

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Artifacts on this site were collected in the field by my husband, Ron Perry. I take the photographs, do the html, text and maps. Background in Who We Are. Art-Pacific has been on the WWW since 1996. We hope you enjoy our New Guinea tribal art and Indonesian folk art as much as we do.

Lower Sepik River Carvings, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea