International studio (16.1902)

Decorative Art in New Guinea

brick-red colour, which gives the mouth of the
chewer a repulsive appearance, and turns the teeth
black. In the utensils used, some of the best
efforts of native design are to be found.
The spatulas, which are not unlike a paper-
knife, were used to convey the powdered lime
from the gourd to the mouth. They were
generally made of hard, dark wood ; the patterns
were engraved or cut in ‘the handles and after-
wards filled with lime, the white design strongly con-
trasting with the black wood.
Birds were the most fre-
quent form of ornament for
the handles of spatulas, which
in many cases were split, and
could be used as clappers.
The gourds to contain the
powdered lime were decorated
with designs burnt on the
surface ; the design was
executed with the stem of a
palm-leaf with a glowing point,
which burnt the surface as in
poker work. Large masses ot
black were produced by closely
scratching a number of lines,
which had the appearance of
deeply-bitten etched lines.
In some districts the design
was first scratched on to the
bamboo or gourd, and after-
wards the burning stem was
applied; but in many cases
the designs seem to be
drawn direct.
Human faces and masks
are drawn in a very curious
way on many of these deco-
rated lime gourds. There are
no attempts at realistic draw-
ing, heads and masks are
always in a grotesque style.
The stoppers for the lime
gourds are examples of neatly
plaited and coloured palm-leaf.
The old and toothless men,
who could no longer chew the
betel nut, used a mortar in
which the nut was pounded
into a paste. Mortars are less
common than spatulas, and
are generally decorated with
similar ornament, /.<?., frigate-
birds’ heads.

In native designs carved on smooth surfaces, the
lines appear to be made with one clean sharp cut
with the shell-knife. A general method of orna-
mentation seems to have been to engrave the
design, and afterwards fill in the pattern with lime;
but occasionally red colour was used to give
additional effect.
The best examples of native work were produced
in the days when they had plenty of leisure and an
abundance of food. When not fighting, they devoted


INSTRUMENTS FOR STIRRING SAGO

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