Huli Wigman Woven Necklace with Cowrie Shells, Papua New Guinea 17"

Description

Huli Wigman Woven Necklace with Cowrie Shells, Papua New Guinea 17"  Shipped with USPS Priority Mail or First Class.
This is an authentic PNG necklace. Cowrie shells are sewn into a woven necklace made of natural fibers.  It measures 17" from top to bottom. Unique handmade artifact. Purchased from the Huli Wigman Tribe by my parents in the 1990's while they were traveling. The photo shows a Huli wearing a similar necklace.
From my Mothet's journal:
"On Oct.21, 1997 we were traveling through one of the most remote and primitive areas of Papua New Guinea, the Highlands. Our destination was the local village of the Huli Clan.   On our way we stopped to talk to a Huli warrior walking along the road.  He wore a very large impressive wig featuring many colorful wings and tail feathers of local birds. There were designs painted on his face and a thin feather of a bird threaded through his nose. He was not much over 5 feet but carried a bow considerably taller and handful of multiple barbed arrows.  We inspected these handmade arrows and were told that the jagged arrow barbs held “Job’s tears”, seeds which are designed to stay in a wound, cause pain, infection and eventually death.
When we arrived at the Huli compound we were greeted by the chief of the Clan. We entered a large clearing in the dense forest and saw about 12 of the clan warriors preparing for a traditional ceremony.  They were applying face paint using sticks dipped in the paint. They also took great care covering their entire body with an oily coating and painting arms and legs in red, white and yellow paint.  Each man was naked from the waist up and wore wide woven belts over a woven loin cloth with fur fringe.  Each wore a unique wig. These wigs, made from their own hair, took many months to grow and were then uniquely shaped by the owners. During the time when the men were growing their hair for the wigs they lived in bachelor areas completely away from the women. Then the wigs were elaborately decorated with Bird of Paradise and other iridescence bird feathers, and even entire wings of the smaller birds.  They wore woven arm bands that had leaves and grass tucked in them on their upper arms. Other woven bands were worn around their wrists.  Their necks were encircled with multiple rings of shells, beads and woven strips. Each warrior had a large cassowary beak hung from one of these rings to extend down their backs.  Leafy branches where tucked into the belts at their lower back to represent the tail feathers of a bird.  After they had prepared their bodies they formed two long lines facing each outer and began beating their hand-held drums while they bounce up and down in synchronized motions.  This purpose was to imitate the Bird of Paradise. One of the warriors was accompanied by his small son of about four, also painted and dressed like his father.  When it had ended and we prepared to leave the men had a small number of handmade items to sell.  This is where I purchased the necklace."
On Vacation from July 11th to July 18th.  All items will ship on July 19th.