Jipae

human history

Jipae dance costume, Jow village, central Asmat.

Netted string, short fibre fringe, feather

Accession number: 2002.28.29 Last Update: 14 Jul 2026

Other Name

dance costume (English)

Place

Asmat/West Irian/Indonesia West Papua/Indonesia

Accession Number

2002.28.29

Accession Date

16 Apr 2002

Other Id

55778 (ethnology)

302-457 (Number on object)

Department

Pacific

Public Access Text

Asmat people live in southwestern West Papua. Veneration of ancestors is integral to Asmat culture, and permeates every facet of life. Dancers dressed in full-body costumes represent the ancestors during funerary rites. They enact a meeting of the living and their recently departed before a final withdrawal to the afterworld.

The Asmat construct these costumes by netting rolled string fibre, and painting them with pigments. Strands of plain fibre strips are attached at the arms and hem and left loose as fringing.

Jipae

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Jipae

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Jipae

Jipae

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