Shell Ring (Yua)
Rings (yua) fashioned from the hard, marble-like shell of the giant clam were, and to some extent remain, the primary form of wealth among the Abelam people. Ceremonial valuables, yua were displayed or exchanged as part of most major rituals and rites of passage. At birth, a ring is presented to the child’s maternal uncle, who later will help guide him through the complex male initiation cycle. At marriage, the groom presents yua to the bride’s parents, the number he is able to give becoming a lifelong source of pride. At death, gifts of yua to maternal relatives help ease the passage of the spirit to the afterlife. Shell rings also play an integral role in ceremonial life. They are displayed during male initiation, the dedication of men’s ceremonial houses, and other occasions, as symbols of the strength and wealth of the community. The rings are so prized that a man, wishing to emphasize another man’s status or his affection for him, will address him as wuna yua (my ring).
Artwork Details
- Title: Shell Ring (Yua)
- Date: 19th–early 20th century
- Geography: Papua New Guinea, Prince Alexander Mountains, Middle Sepik River region
- Culture: Abelam people
- Medium: Tridacna shell
- Dimensions: H. 8 × W. 9 × D. 1 1/2 in. (20.3 × 22.9 × 3.8 cm)
- Classification: Shell-Ornaments
- Credit Line: Purchase, Richman Family Foundation Gift, 2005
- Object Number: 2005.219
- Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing
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