No si hijomiono’o jabesi soré jajivo - (We are painting the designs of our ancestors)

A Collection of barkcloth art from the Ömie Artists, Papua New Guinea.


No si hijomiono’o jabesi soré jajivo - (We are painting the designs of our ancestors)

A Collection of barkcloth art from the Ömie Artists, Papua New Guinea.


CELESTINE WARINA (KAARU)

Ömie Mountains, Eggs of the Giant Spiny Stick Insect, Spots of the Wood-Boring Grub, Pattern of the Snake’s Mouth, Skin of the Yellow Snake and Backbone of the Green & White-Spotted Snake.
Ömie Mountains, Eggs of the Giant Spiny Stick Insect, Spots of the Wood-Boring...

OM10-074
Natural Pigments on Nioge (Barkcloth)
Ömie Mountains, Eggs of the Gi… | OM10-074
Natural Pigments on Nioge (Barkclot…
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Celestine has painted traditional Sahuoté clan designs. The lines that run through the painting are known as orriseegé or ’pathways’ and provide a compositional framework for the design. The main zig-zag design is dahoru’e - the design of the Ömie mountains. The diamond shapes which can be seen inside the orriseegé is hi’odege - the design of the backbone of the green snake (hi’oi) that has black and white spots. The crosshatch design is vahuhu sine - the pattern of the yellow snake’s skin. The short lines that run parallel through the dahoru’e are udane une - the eggs of the Giant Spiny Stick Insect (Eurycantha calcarata). The compressed lines that run diagonally edge to edge through the dahoru’e are cobburé jö’o si’o si’o ve’e - the pattern of the snake’s mouth. The spots within the orriseegé and dahoru’e is a design called sabu ahe representing the spots which can be seen on the sides of a wood-boring grub. This grub is sacred to Ömie people as it plays an important part within the creation story of how Huvaemo (Mt. Lamington) came to be volcanic.

It is a traditional sor’e (tattoo design) which was most commonly tattooed running in one line under both eyes. Today it is applied to Ömie people’s faces for dance performances with natural pigments.

Celestine has painted traditional Sahuoté clan designs. The lines that run through the painting are known as orriseegé or ’pathways’ and provide a compositional framework for the design. The main zig-zag design is dahoru’e - the design of the Ömie mountains. The diamond shapes which can be seen inside the orriseegé is hi’odege - the design of the backbone of the green snake (hi’oi) that has black and white spots. The crosshatch design is vahuhu...