Hiri Kekeni

    Timber :  Budgeroo root

Height: 1,750mm 

Price $2,500

"Hiri Kekeni" is carved and named in honour of the beautiful Motuan girls of the south coast of Papua. This stylised sculpture depicts a Hiri Kekeni (maiden) sadly farewelling her lover who has set sail on his Lakatoi (multi hulled canoe) to go on the annual trading voyages of the Motuan people. Her arm and hand is waving bamahuta (fond farewell) to her lover. 

This sculpture will soon be added to the collection of Guy's pieces already exhibited in the foyer of the Burke Wills Hotel in the garden city of Toowoomba in the Darling Downs region of Queensland.  

Inspiration for this carving came from the interesting shapes and structures in this large  Budgeroo root at right. The base has been retained without further carving as it resembles a coral outcrop typical to the South coast of Papua.

The natural grooves of the timber have been followed and enhanced to depict waves of the tropical sea intermingling with the Kekeni's hair cascading down her lithe body.

Utilising the Lahara trade wind, multi hulled Lakatois carried clay pots to the villages in the Gulf of Papua.  They returned with sago,  a staple food from the sago palm via the Laurabada monsoon winds that blew later in the year. It is from this trading that the Hiri Motu language spread and eventually became the recognised language used throughout Papua.

These epic voyages are celebrated annually on Independence Day of Papua New Guinea by way of the Hiri Moale festival. There is also a beauty pageant of Papuan girls in traditional dress from which the most beautiful girl is crowned the Hiri Queen

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