Homecoming For Yupin

A collection of rare cultural pieces taken out of Papua New Guinea two years ago has been handed over to the Papua New Guinea Public Museum and Art Gallery by the New Zealand National Museum.

The collection includes pre historic stone mortars and pestles and a rare wickerworth figure, “Yupin”, which was once used in initiation ceremonies in the Western Enga area between the Southern and Western Highlands.

It is the first time that an over seas museum has returned cul tural property to Papua New Guinea.

Curator of Ethnology at the New Zealand National Museum, Mr Roger Neich, presented the collection in April to the director of the Papua New Guinea Public

Museum and Art Gallery, Mr Geoffrey Mosuwadoga.

The Yupin figure, in particular, has great cultural importance for Papua New Guinea.

Mr Neich, who has made a comprehensive study of Yupin figures, believes it documents the spread of Western Enga Yupin figures into the Huli language area and that it is one of only a dozen in the world, five of which are now held by the Papua New Guinea Museum.

The National Museum, New Zealand, bought the collection a year ago. Most of the pieces are from the Southern Highlands.

The Yupin is from Yaruna village and has a gourd face mask typical of Southern Highlands craft. It was used in rituals by groups from Western Enga, Ipili and Pai-Ela.

Yupin with Mr Mosuwadoga (left) and Mr Neich.