Ceremonial dish. Boiken, Prince Alexander Mountains, Papua New Guinea, early 20th century.

Ceremonial dish. Boiken, Prince Alexander Mountains, Papua New Guinea, early 20th century.
Wood.
Measurements: 51,5 cm diameter.

A Boiken ceremonial plate from the Prince Alexander Mountains in Papua New Guinea is an example of the rich cultural and artistic tradition of the people of this region. The Boiken are an ethnic group inhabiting the highlands of the Prince Alexander Mountains region of northern Papua New Guinea. Boiken ceremonial dishes are usually made of carved wood. They feature geometric designs and stylized figures that reflect spiritual beliefs and a link to the natural world. These designs are not only ornamental, but also have symbolic meaning related to the Boiken worldview, which is strongly influenced by spirituality, ancestral spirits and nature. Boiken ceremonial dishes are used in a variety of important rituals and ceremonies. These can include initiation rituals, weddings, and spirit worship ceremonies, among others.

Thousands of years ago, Boiken territory was occupied by speakers of Torricelli phylum languages. Subsequently, large numbers of Ndu speakers from the Koiwat region north of the Sepik River infiltrated what is now southeastern Boiken territory and spread northward to the coastal islands, linguistically assimilating the Torricelli residents as they moved. Consequently, the Yangoru Boiken appear to have dual Ndu and Torricelli ancestry, which may explain their close cultural affinities with the Torricelli-speaking mountain Arapesh. First contact occurred at the turn of the century, but it was not until 1930 that missionaries, labor recruiters, and patrollers began to exert significant influence on Yangoru Boiken culture. By then, steel had displaced stone and warfare was in decline. By 1980, male initiation, except for the first stage of female initiation, and most of the traditional arts had disappeared, currency had displaced shell wealth, and aluminum utensils had replaced clay pots and wooden plates.