THE ART OF ISAWDI (FATE SAVARI)

A Collection of Barkcloth Art from the Ömie Artists, Papua New Guinea

THE ART OF ISAWDI (FATE SAVARI)

A Collection of Barkcloth Art from the Ömie Artists, Papua New Guinea

Australian Indigenous (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) artwork by FATE SAVARI (ISAWDI) of Omie Artists. The title is Girls with jo’o sor’e (facial tattoos) and wéhivive’e (barkcloth hair-twists). [12-214] (Ink on Schoolbook Paper) Australian Indigenous (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) artwork by FATE SAVARI (ISAWDI) of Omie Artists. The title is Girls with jo’o sor’e (facial tattoos) and wéhivive’e (barkcloth hair-twists). [12-214] (Ink on Schoolbook Paper)
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FATE SAVARI (ISAWDI) (dec)

Girls with jo’o sor’e (facial tattoos) and wéhivive’e (barkcloth hair-twists)
12-214
Ink on Schoolbook Paper
 Girls with jo’o sor’e (facial … | 12-214
Ink on Schoolbook Paper
 17 x 22.5cm | 6.69 x 8.86in (irregular)
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In 2012 at Gora Art Centre, Fate Savari presented a schoolbook she had obtained from her granddaughter. It was filled from front to back with drawings about her ancestral Ömie stories (including the Ömie creation story), histories, culture and clan designs. There were also some loose pages in the front and back of the schoolbook and more drawings on paper wrapped up in a larger drawing on paper. Fate created the book and drawings because she felt a great urgency to record her profound knowledge before she passed away. This is one of the special drawings from that first presentation of drawings.

Fate has drawn Ömie girls with the tattoo called jo’o sor’e tattooed on their faces. The girls’ hair has been lavishly decorated with barkcloth hair-ties known as wéhivive’e. Uhone string is used to tie the hair. The uhone can be plain undyed barkcloth or dyed in mud.

Fate has also drawn small boys, the girls’ brothers. The boys also had jo’o sor’e tattooed on their faces.

The boys are wearing dried cuscus testicle necklaces which have a sweet scent. This is an Omie custom for children to wear the cuscus testicle necklace nd is considered protective and good luck for the small child. This is still practiced today (2020).

In 2012 at Gora Art Centre, Fate Savari presented a schoolbook she had obtained from her granddaughter. It was filled from front to back with drawings about her ancestral Ömie stories (including the Ömie creation story), histories, culture and clan designs. There were also some loose pages in the front and back of the schoolbook and more drawings on paper wrapped up in a larger drawing on paper. Fate created the book and drawings because she felt a great urgency to record her profound...