Vintage Papua New Guinea Tobriands Massim Canoe Splash Board Lakim

From Papua New Guinea, this large example was once on the front of an ocean-going canoe used for trading, part of the complex Kula trading circle. The archipelagos of the Massim region of southeast Papua New Guinea are renowned for their ancient and ongoing inter-island exchanges of ceremonial valuables and other objects. We show both the front and back sides of this amazing and rare tribal artifact.

It’s called a ‘splash board’ because it closes the dugout hull of the canoe on both ends, deflecting waves and sea spray when sailing.

Massim splashboards are cut from a single piece of wood – often the flat buttress root of a Ficus tree. The splashboard is incised in low relief and decorated on one side only. Visually, the splashboard has a central part with abstract motifs framed by two asymmetric volutes that spiral out and down to either side.

Here, the main design elements are stylized birds on the upper section with 4 snakes below. There are 2 original, decorative shells still hanging from the drilled holes, boards were decorated both to show beauty and as a sign of status. It was likely once painted with white lime and plant based colors, some small bits of paint remain in crevices, most are long gone with use and age. This lagim dates from the mid 20th century.

Measure 28″ W x 2″ D x 42.5″ H

Please see below for further condition details.