Feast Bowl (brukei), c.1900
Bipi Island, Northwest Admiralty Islands, Papua New Guinea
Wood, parinarium nut mastic; 25 3/8 in. diameter
Purchased with funds provided by the Jordan Community Trust
2007.20.1
This beautiful carved wood feast bowl originates from Bipi Island, one of the forty islands that make up the Admiralty Island group, found approximately 190 miles off the coast of Papua New Guinea. The bowl’s large scale, fine carving, and decorative elements in the shape of symbolically important animals (Frigate birds and lizards or crocodiles joined at the tails), are indications of this feast bowl’s significance. The dark brown color with a velvety sheen is evidence that the bowl has been much handled, used and treasured throughout many generations. A further example of the attention and care the bowl has received is the original repair to a split in the wood made by using natural paste from the parinarium nut. As is the style of traditional Admiralty Island carving, the bowl has a four foot base and bears opposing double-arced designs near the rim. The feast bowl, no doubt a prized possession for its owner(s), would have been used during important ceremonial occasions involving food.
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Comments 4
My mother showed me one of those many of years ago she is from Mokereng island and her brother my uncle is from bipi island Karl Reinhardt
My Uncle was from Bipi island Karl Reinhardt My mother was from Mokerang island - that bowl is beautuful have seen on when i was very young my mother had one
The bowl is generically called "Ndrekei". I was told by my father that a new ndrekei that is carved would be immersed in sago pith to give it its disctict shiny black appearance.More ndrekei is seen during bride price (simisim) feasts.
am from Bipi Island in PNg and never realized a bowl of this sort existed