Drawing

Tolai peoples live in the coastal regions and inland areas of the eastern Gazelle Peninsula in East New Britain, PNG as well as in the Duke of York Islands and the south coast of New Ireland in the Pacific. The diverse range of art forms produced amongst Tolai peoples include masks, figural carvings in wood and chalk, mortuary canoes, decorated war axes and body decorations. This original two-sided color drawing is by R. Henry Tavul, a Duk Duk Society and Iniet Society specialist who is from Bitawawar village. In this two-sided drawing, he illustrates the mask, headdress, fiber body adornments and painted body markings for two Tubuan masks which form part of the ceremonial cycle for initiated members of the Duk Duk society. As is common for the restricted knowledge associated with the Duk Duk Society, these images were revealed to the artist at night during a dream and he captured them in this color illustration the following day.