Magical Carving of Asmat

Have u ever heard about Asmat?Asmat is a tribe that still exists in Papua, Indonesia. One manifestation of their culture is through the culture of their carving is well known in the world. Characteristics of Asmat carving is a unique pattern and is naturalist. From the pattern complexity of how to make it look that makes them valuable carving work and quite a lot of high-demand foreign tourists.

In terms of the model, Asmat carving is very diverse, ranging from human statues, boats, panels, shields, drums, egg carving kaswari to pole. The Asmat are adopted and environmental experiences of everyday life as they carved patterns, such as trees, boats, animals and people boating, hunting and the others.


Carving is a tradition and ritual life that is closely related to the spirituality of life and respect for ancestors. When Asmat carving, they do not just make a pattern in the wood, but drains a living spirituality.


Asmat sculpture including naturalist flow because of the model is carved like a bird living creatures, fish, frogs, trees, or a human lizard embodied in carved wooden statues of them.

Asmat community consists of 12 sub-ethnic, and each has a characteristic in his art. So is the wood used, there are also differences. There is a prominent ethnic sub carved statues, there are outstanding salawaku or shield carved, others have carved for decorative wall and war equipment.

If purchased in the market, Asmat wood carving, including expensive. But not so when we buy directly in the place of origin. Long distances and the difficulty of transportation is one of the reasons why expensive inscription.

The most special and unique is that every work of sculpture does not have the same or a duplicate because they do not produce the same pattern carved on a large scale. So, if we have one of Asmat carvings with a certain pattern, it is the only existing because of Asmat people do not make the same pattern in carving. Be the same form, such as shields or panels, but the problem would be very different pattern. That is the uniqueness of Asmat carvings.

For lovers of ethnic-style carving, Asmat carving is one option for home decoration. But it must be alert and careful when buying Asmat carvings on the market, because there are many irresponsible people who forged their carvings.

Source: Magazine Travel Club