Dani Warrior's Bag and Ornaments from West Papua

A fine Dani warrior's bag & two Dani ornaments, West Papua, [3], only warriors of a certain age and status can wear this type of feathered bag on their back (see field photo). Dead birds is a 1963 documentary film by Robert Gardner about the Dani people of New Guinea . It was produced as part of the Harvard-Peabody Expedition to study the highlands of New Guinea . The title relates to the Dani Mythology that there was once a great race between a bird and a snake, which was to determine the lives of human beings. Should men shed their skins and live forever like snakes, or die like birds? the bird won the race, dictating that men must die. The Dani also refer to war trophies as 'Dead birds', ornaments that were taken from a deceased warrior such as this feathered bag and the two ornaments were highly valued. Provenance: Collected by Todd Barlin in 1985-1986. 66 x 52 cm