WHEN YOU
LOOK
Western Bluebird
Boar Tusk Armbands:
The Circle of Life
When you look at these Boar Tusk Armbands,
you see the formation of communities.
While they are simplistic in design, just tusks bound with some leather, these armbands bring communities together through their influence in trade, tradition, and pigs. They show the value of pigs in tribes all throughout Papua New Guinea, and how they are the centerpiece in all interactions. These Boar Tusk Armbands represent the powerful influence pigs have over the rise of communities in Papua New Guinea.
Armbands are used, and are the products of, many different traditions. During a Showmay tok lorokmay, a ceremonial distribution of pork is conducted between people of multiple communities. Because pigs are highly valued, these Pig Kills are immensely popular events, and participants come from most nearby tribes. A man's pigs are his wealth, and so during a Pig Kill, he is giving up some of his accumulated wealth. Through this distribution of his wealth, the man is able to form connections with his tribe, and others, strengthening the community.
Boar Tusk Armbands in Orma J. Smith Museum
After a Pig Kill, the only thing remaining are the tusks. Big Men will adorn these tusks, primarily in the vessel of an armband or necklace. The ownership of these tusks creates a traditional connection between man and beast. It makes the wearer more “Pig-like” and therefore more respected. Because of their high appraisal, the men and women of Papua New Guinea seek to be more pig-like. This ideal comes at a drastic headlock against the the viewpoint of most of the rest of the world, who see being pig-like an unsatisfactory label.
These armbands also signify trade in Papua New Guinea, especially in the Kula Ring. In the Kula Ring, people trade to make connections with other communities, rather than for material gain. The armbands and necklaces that enter this ring of trade are never meant to leave it, however these armbands have long since left their home. The tradition behind the Kula is that the armbands and necklaces that enter it are repeatedly exchanged, never kept by any one owner for more than a brief amount of time.
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Sillitoe, Paul. An Introduction to the Anthropology of Melanesia : Culture and Tradition. Cambridge ; New York, Cambridge University Press, 1998.
While these examples are few in number, they lead to the creation of, and interactions between, tribes. Through the lens of pigs, these Boar Tusk Armbands are the bridge connecting communities. They are the aftermath of an agelong evolution of tradition, becoming an eternal representation of who the people of Papua New Guinea are. Pig Kills and the Kula Ring showcase how the Boar Tusk Armbands represent the formation of communities.