A Middle Strickland River drum, Samo, Bedamini or Gebusi people, Western Province, Papua New Guinea. Of nearly tubular form, the thin drum with flaring mouth in the form of a stylized crocodiles head and painted red and white with carved linear designs. Exceedingly rare. Often mistakenly attributed to the Fly River, the drums of the Strickland river which empties into the Fly River is part of the Strickland-Bosavi cultural/linguistic world of the Papuan Plateau. The Kamula are the Southern-most people of this group and live quite far from Nomad (where these objects are also often said to come from), which is an area in Gebusi territory to the North. Drums of this type are used for all ritual dances but especially for the elaborate male initiation cycles practiced by the people of the Strickland-Bosavi cultures (See Bruce Knauft’s excellent website for photos and extensive video of the region and its art). The drum shape shares its general form with those of the people of the Western Gulf north of Kiwai likely disseminating through the Kikori river area. A Lovely and extremely rare drum.Acquired by Marc Seidler from George Craig, Field collected on the Strickland River in the early 1960s. The Drum Measures 46.75 inches tall x 4.75 inches wide. There is no display stand included.

Good, well weathered and well handled