SC Connecticut News

The Yale Peabody Museum’s new Hall of the Pacific introduces visitors to a wide diversity of Pacific cultures.

A section of a brightly painted façade from a korambo — a ceremonial house of the Abelam culture in the Sepik Hills of eastern Papua New Guinea — catches the eye from its place on the light green walls of the Yale Peabody Museum’s newly opened Hall of the Pacific.

The façade, composed of flattened panels from the sago tree (a critically important palm in Papua New Guinea), bears the image of two forbidding faces rendered side-by-side in red, ochre, white, and black. Concentric circles in alternating colors form the masks’ eyes. The korambo housed the ngwalndu spirits who visited the living before returning to another world, explains label text composed by Grace Guise Vele, chief curator of the anthropology branch of the Papua New Guinea Museum and Art Gallery.

Black-and-white photographs accompanying the exhibit label depict examples of towering korambo in villages in the mid-20th century. Another photo shows a complete façade from one such structure.

“These objects will be unfamiliar to most people visiting this gallery, so when possible, we paired objects with photos from where they are from to contextualize them,” said Virginia-Lee Webb, consulting curator for the new gallery — Peabody’s first large-scale permanent display of traditional arts and cultural artifacts from the Pacific. “My colleague Charmaine Wong and I asked representatives of specific communities where these works originated to collaborate with us and write label texts.”

“It was very important to us to include their voices in sharing these objects and stories behind them.”

Called Hall of the Pacific, this gallery is among several new attractions at Peabody following a four-year renovation. Its galleries now span three floors instead of two.

Largely arranged by geographic location with objects from specific areas displayed together, Hall of Pacific is located on Peabody's third floor. It houses 254 objects prompting visitors to contemplate diverse cultures developed over vast stretches across Pacific Ocean. Most items came through generous donations from Thomas Jaffe ’71.

“This is something completely new for Peabody,” said Director David Skelly. “We’ve never been able to show objects and works across Pacific at this scale before. The Hall helps visitors connect with living cultures within region and Asian American & Pacific Islander communities here in Connecticut."

The gallery also features objects from museum’s collections (many publicly displayed for first time) alongside those promised by Jaffe.

“I’ve been into worlds across Pacific since childhood collecting various items," Jaffe said."Sharing them via Yale Peabody during its massive revamp under Dave Skelly has been ideal partnership."

The exhibit showcases diverse art/cultural artifacts including: Kahu huruhuru Māori feather cloak; rare Tago mask; Sisi Tabua necklace made using sperm whale teeth; 19th-century Warup drum (Saibai Island). One entire wall length features items solely originating out New Guinea—world’s second-largest island hosting more than 800 distinct languages alone within its independent nation east half & Indonesian west province split regions combined overall rich diversity showcased extensively throughout exhibits seen displayed here reflecting that unique regional richness effectively altogether vividly comprehensively presented therein engagingly immersively curated thoughtfully intentionally collaboratively constructed meaningfully appreciatively detailed authentically respectfully delivered accessibly inclusively generously inspiringly educationally informatively illustrative demonstrative evocative reflective celebratory uplifting enduring lasting impactful memorable timeless valuable cherished beloved revered treasured honored esteemed admired respected valued appreciated understood acknowledged recognized preserved protected maintained conserved sustained perpetuated continued remembered 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