Massim Kula Object with Chief's Lime Gourd

A Massim Kula object, Milne Bay Province,Papua New Guinea, together with a Massim Chief's lime gourd with fine shell money & pig tusk stopper, [2], finely made from Conis and Cowrie shells and decorated with pink shell money discs and fibre binding. The Kula exchange or Kula is an ancient ceremonial exchange system conducted in the Milne Bay Province. All Kula valuables are traded purely for purposes of enhancing one's social status and prestige. Carefully prescribed customs and traditions surround the ceremonies that accompany the exchanges which establish strong, ideally lifelong relationships between the exchange parties. Provenance: from the famous Australian Artist Nora Heysen (1911-2003), who was in New Guinea during World War I. She had a large collection of New Guinea artefacts in her Studio home where she lived since she was a child until her death in 2003 / Todd Barlin collection. 35 cm, 31 cm