Sidney Nichols Shurcliff / Ceremonial House in Kanganaman Village / May 15, 1929

Sidney Nichols Shurcliff
Ceremonial House in Kanganaman Village
May 15, 1929
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Creator Name: Shurcliff, Sidney
Creator Nationality: North American; American
Creator Role: Artist
Creator Dates/Places: American, 1906-1981
Creator Name-CRT: Sidney Nichols Shurcliff
Title: Ceremonial House in Kanganaman Village
View: Full View
Creation Start Date: 1929
Creation End Date: 1929
Creation Date: May 15, 1929
Object Type: Photographs
Materials and Techniques: gelatin silver print
Dimensions: 4 1/4 x 3 1/4 in. (10.5 x 8.3 cm)
AMICA Contributor: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Owner Location: New York, New York, USA
ID Number: 1978.412.1741
Credit Line: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Gift of Sidney Shurcliff, 1973
Rights: http://www.metmuseum.org/
Context:

The Crane Pacific Expedition, 1928-29, sponsored by Cornelius Crane for the Field Museum, Chicago, visited several villages on the Sepik River in Papua New Guinea. The architecture by the Iatmul-speaking people of Kanganaman village was the subject of several photographs. This view shows the facade of a ceremonial house as it appeared in 1929. 'About four o'clock we reached a village Kanganaman which we visited. It was inland from the river about a mile and full of mosquitos. The clubhouse with its two spires was the most interesting building. From small openings in each gable protruded four grinning skulls... Inside the clubhouse were beautifully carved drums with crocodile head and tails' (Shurcliff diary entry, May 15, 1929). This photo is incorrectly attributed to the village of Angerman in Shurcliff's book, 'Jungle Islands' (see plate opposite page 242). Shurcliff's diary entry for May 15 confirms this location, although it seems that the word 'Kanganaman' was entered into the journal at a later point in time.

AMICA ID: MMA_.1978.412.1741
AMICA Library Year: 2000
Media Metadata Rights: Copyright The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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