The Abelam are people, who are a part of a farming society, that live in the East Sepik Province of Papua New Guinea in the Prince Alexander mountains near the north coast of the island. The Abelam people create and use karahuts in a number of ceremonies. Yams are a major crop of the Abelam, and the karahuts are known for being used in the annual Yam Festival. During dancing, the karahuts are held between the teeth using a string coming out from the back about the level of the eyes. When not being used, the karahuts are typically hung around the neck and lie in the middle of the man's back or are worn around the neck as a pectoral adornment.
For more information about the karahut, see: https://www.randafricanart.com/Karahut_figure_New_Guinea.html
- Subject Matter: Karahut
- Inventory Number: 2014.47
- Collections: Sacred World Art Collection