Pauline-Rose Hago (Derami) Papau New Guinea, Omie, b. 1968
Vë’i ija ahe ohu’o sabu ahe – Bone of the lizard and spots of the wood-boring grub, 2010
natural pigments on nioge (barkcloth)
80 x 130 cm
10-080
Pauline-Rose has painted a design taught to her by Willington Uruhé, the Paramount Chief of Ömie men, who adopted her when she was a small girl. The design is called...
Pauline-Rose has painted a design taught to her by Willington Uruhé, the Paramount Chief of Ömie men, who adopted her when she was a small girl. The design is called ve'i ija ahe - the bone of the lizard. It is a traditional Sahuoté clan (Samorajé sub-clan) design.
The spots are 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 Huvaimo (Mount Lamington) came to be volcanic. It is a traditional sore (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.
The spots are 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 Huvaimo (Mount Lamington) came to be volcanic. It is a traditional sore (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.