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Why was wood the main artistic medium in much of Oceania?

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dilly bag; Aboriginal Australian art, Northern Territory, Australia — Oceanic art and architecture An Aboriginal Australian decorating a tightly woven dilly bag with white, yellow, and ochre (red) paints, Northern Territory, Australia, 1948.

Wood was the primary artistic medium throughout most of Oceania because it was the most accessible and versatile material available within the region's diverse natural environments.1

For centuries, Oceanian cultures relied on Neolithic technology, utilizing stone blades—typically hafted as axes or adzes—to shape and carve wood. While artists were highly opportunistic and utilized a wide array of materials from their surroundings—including shell, bone, teeth, and vegetable fibers—wood remained the fundamental medium for both utilitarian objects and sculpture.1

The reliance on wood was also deeply tied to the cultural and religious significance of the objects produced. Craftsmanship was a highly valued skill, and wood provided a medium through which artists could create works to serve essential social and religious functions, such as propitiating ancestors or reinforcing social status. In many societies, these wooden creations were considered vital vessels for supernatural power, reflecting the close integration of art, ritual, and the natural world.23