New Guinea
Ritual traditions
Rituals dominated the religious lives of the Papuans, the inhabitants of the island of New Guinea. The objects in this exhibition played a central role in these rites and ceremonies.
Rituals on New Guinea varied from secret rites in secluded places to public ceremonies involving an entire village community. These were designed to ensure the fertility of people, animals and plants. Ritual celebrations also added colour to life, providing relief from the daily routine. In recent years Papuan culture has changed, although the ancient traditions have survived. Indeed, there is a revival of interest among large groups of Papuans, in traditions that seemed destined to disappear for ever.
The western half of New Guinea was a Dutch colony. When it was ceded to Indonesia in 1963 it was renamed Irian Barat and later Irian Jaya. Since 2001 this Indonesian province is officially named Papua. The eastern half of the island comprises the independent state of Papua New Guinea.
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