3D ASMAT TRIBAL DRUM FROM PAPUA NEW GUINEA IRIAN JAYA -

This genuine handmade Asmat artifact was collected by its owner from the Asmat in Irian Jaya. The Asmat is in the Indonesian half of Papua New Guinea. It is the area where Michael Clark Rockefeller, an avid Asmat artifact collector, was last known to have been before he disappeared. On this visit to the Asmat, he supposedly swam from his disabled boat to shore and was presumably killed after he reached the shore. This was said to have been a revenge killing as prior to his arrival some villagers had been killed by white men. There is some debate as to whether he had been cannibalized or not. Although bones have been found that appear to be linked to Michael Rockefeller a definite conclusion has never been reached. My personal discussion with the village elders led me to believe that that is probably an unlikely event. His companion in the boat was rescued by a British rescue party. The drum is hand made with a lizard skin top and used by the men in their Long House during festive occasions as during my visit there. The celebration there shook the long house and was accompanied by dancing and singing. This authentic drum is a great conversational and decorative piece. This very unique and special drum has three dimensional carvings outside the drum but it is still carved as a single piece. This was the only such piece I saw there.