Ceremonial Dance Axe (Pem), early 20th Century Tolai culture; East New Britain Province, New Britain, Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea, Melanesia, Oceania Wood and paint; 37 1/2 × 4 1/2 × 1 in. 2014.18.1 Bowers Museum Purchase

The pem of the Tolai people are a part of a group of sacred objects known as pokopoko. Wooden pokopoko were typically made out of rosewood (ruga) or other hardwood bearing trees. The pem was used ritually in a ceremony associated with the death of a high-ranking deceased member of the community. This ceremony is referred to as tubuan i takin, which translates to, "tubuan in search of deceased spirit." A tubuan mask represents an older woman within the tubuan secret society and it is worn by a man. To prepare for the events of the ceremony, the pem is painted with red paint and the tubuan performs dances from night until dawn. In a moment of complete silence except for the playing of sacred music, the tubuan prepares to pick up the pem. The ceremony then transitions to the deceased person’s home. Out of the darkness, the tubuan appears with the pem. An elder of the tubuan society calls the tubuan by name. At this point, the tubuan runs violently, stepping on the doorstep of the deceased’s home. A fellow unmasked tubuan society member runs after the masked tubuan, chopping whatever she might put her foot on. After this is completed, the pem is returned to a special and sacred place. More singing and dancing continues until daybreak and through to the following day when the exchange and the distribution of shell money and food also takes place among community members. All text and images under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. All research subject to change upon further research.