Biwat Flute Stopper
Wusear: Yuat | Biwat Flute stoppers
The Mundugumor Flute Stopper “Wusear” is a crucial element in the sacred rituals of the Biwat (formerly known as Mundugumor) people of New Guinea. The Mundugumor reside along the Yuat River, a southern tributary of the Sepik River in East Sepik Province. These flute stoppers are sacred anthropomorphic wooden figures. These anthropomorphic sculptures were not decorative but empowered the flutes. These flutes are used in male initiation ceremonies.
Sacred Flutes: the Role of Wusear
The sacred flutes of the Biwat people are not typical musical instruments but rather function as distortion tubes. The flute modulates and alters and projecting the voices of leaders during important rituals. These flutes were made from hollow bamboo tubes and adorned and empowered with flute stoppers. The stoppers, known as wusear, were much more than decorative items; they were believed to be capable housing a spirit. It was this spirit that then “spoke” through the flute, conveying the presence and power of, Asin, the crocodile ancestor during rituals.
Flute stopper Figures
The Yuat Flute stopper figures were often sculpted with a distinctive, stylized appearance. They have small bodies with disproportionately large heads, a common feature in many Biwat carvings. The heads typically featured high domed foreheads, prominent forehead ridges, large eyes made of materials like mother-of-pearl inlaid with small shells, and exaggerated facial features such as hooked noses. The bodies were generally more simplistic. The body, had stylized shoulders, buttocks, elbows, hands, and knees. These figures were often pierced for the attachment of hair, and some were heavily ornamented with materials like shells, feathers, and bones.
Carved from hard wood, the Biwat Flute stopper figures was inserted into the top of the flute. The carver, commissioned by the flute owner, was provided food during the carving process. A carver had to abstain from sex and follow other strict taboos. Upon completion, the wusear was decorated by a group of individuals who contributed materials.
The ritual surrounding the creation and adornment of the flute stopper took place in a ceremonial enclosure by the riverbank, where a water drum, symbolizing the mother crocodile, was played to mark the flute’s “birth.” Food offerings were made to the stopper before the flute was presented to the community.
Above: Examples of old highly collectable Yuat River or Biwat flute stopper figures
The Cultural Significance of the Biwat Flute stopper figures
Wusear were not only symbolic of the crocodile spirit but were also connected to the ancestral lineage of the Biwat people. Many wusear figures contained human hair and, in some instances, human teeth, reflecting a deeper bond with clan ancestry and the spiritual power of the ancestors. These figures were sacred objects, often owned by clans, and played a critical role in rituals. Unlike in many other New Guinea societies, where sacred flutes were communal clan possessions, the flutes and their stoppers were owned individually in Biwat society. The presence of flute stoppers in dowries for wealthy women highlights their social and spiritual importance, demonstrating the flute’s value beyond ritual use. Flute stoppers, often passed down through generations, served as heirlooms that connected individuals to their ancestors. Furthermore, the display of the flutes and their stoppers during initiation rituals created a powerful moment of community interaction, where the presence of the flutes was seen as a physical manifestation of spiritual authority.
The Decline of Rituals
By the early 1930s, the Biwat people had largely abandoned their traditional initiation rituals, influenced by the arrival of Christian missionaries. However, some aspects of these rituals were still practiced, and Margaret Mead, along with her husband Reo Fortune, documented and participated in a performance of the flute initiation rituals in 1932. Mead’s work, particularly in her book Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies, provided valuable insights into the role of the flute stoppers and their significance in Biwat culture.
Conclusion
Despite the decline of traditional practices, the wusear remains a powerful symbol of the spiritual and social life of the Biwat people. The wusear’s legacy continues to live on in museum and private collections, where it is highly regarded as a masterpiece of Melanesian art.
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