Dieses Nguzu ist eine uralte Grabbeigabe. - Tifa - Jalimek - Papua Neuguinea (Ohne mindestpreis)

Ancestor Drum (Tifa) – Yali Mek People – Highlands of West Papua – Field Collected 1957

A well-preserved and characterful ancestor drum (tifa) from the Yali Mek people of the mountainous interior of West Papua, field collected in 1957.

Tifa drums hold a central place in the ceremonial and spiritual life of Papuan highland cultures. They are not merely musical instruments, but vehicles of ancestral presence, used in rituals, dances, and communal gatherings to invoke and honor the spirits of forebears.

This example shows a fine, elongated form with a resonant body and a hand-carved surface bearing the marks of traditional craftsmanship. The drum’s age and field collection date place it firmly within a period of minimal outside influence, enhancing its ethnographic and cultural significance.

Among the Yali Mek, such drums accompany important rites and social events, their sound carrying across the mountain valleys as a signal of unity, identity, and connection to the ancestral world.

A strong and authentic piece, combining sculptural presence with deep cultural meaning—highly desirable for collectors of Oceanic art.
Packed with care
Sending worldwide

Sold by Koos Knol, ethnographer and anthropologist, dealer of Papua Tribal Art for more than 30 years, expert and author of the book “Papua Blues”, written in Dutch. (Maybe in English next year.) Published end of October 2024
A book about inside stories, a book that deals with the many encounters with special people in West Papua, the impressive experiences that the author has, about special encounters with men and women who tell him about secret things, about ethnographic objects and initiate him into the rituals and ceremonies.
A must have for collectors, ethnographers, ethnologists, anthropologists and museums

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