Frigate Bird from the Sacred Men’s House This finely shaped Frigate Bird is more than a beautifully carved sea creature. It is a guardian of waters, a timeless emblem of skill, courage, and ancestral presence. Traditionally kept in the sacred men’s house, it occupied a place of profound respect—an object approached not as decoration, but as a bearer of meaning. Among the island communities, the Frigate Bird is woven deeply into myth. Fishermen believed its movements foretold the moods of the sea. Its silhouette—sharp, effortless, almost supernatural—was read as a sign for abundance or danger. In stories passed from father to son, the bird could guide a canoe, warn of storms, and bless a successful catch. To carve it was to honor the sea itself. This piece captures that spirit. The elegant lines, the poised form, the confident sweep of the wings: everything speaks of a maker who understood the bird’s symbolic weight. It is a work that combines grace with power, finesse with ritual meaning. A collector does not merely acquire an object here; one receives a fragment of a living cosmology. The patina, the careful shaping, the serene presence—it all reflects decades spent in a place where art, myth, and daily survival are inseparable. For those who appreciate authenticity and ancestral narrative, this Frigate Bird is a rare opportunity. A sculpture with a story. A story with a soul. This is not merely an artifact. It is an encounter with the sea, the spirits, and the people who trusted this bird to guide them home. We pack with care, sending all over the world for 35 years already A must have for collectors, ethnographers, ethnologists, anthropologists and museums 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 Google: Papua Blues Koos Knol