Marind

The Marind are a Papuan people who inhabit the southern part of New Guinea, in what is now the Indonesian province of Papua. They also have a language known as Marind.1

While their material culture was generally limited, the Marind are known for the ephemeral art created for their initiatory cults. The central figures in Marind mythology are the dema, who are considered ancestors and creators of the world. These dema were represented during initiations through costumed men and effigies. The costumes were elaborate, often including large effigies carved in softwood, decorated with seeds, and adorned with small masks and feather headdresses. Marind sculpture itself was simple, with large works including tall posts featuring animal and geometric designs used for temporary feast houses, and posts with winglike projections serving as grave markers.2