Canoe in the making • Pupisj, 2015
Pupisj / dugout canoe is in the making by a family in the village of Pupisj. It would take the family over a month from the beginning - finding the suitable ci wood in the forest, bringing it back to the village, and digging it out - to finally have the canoe ready. Canoes are central to the life of the Asmat. They are mainly used for transport to the forest or to neighbouring villages. Asmat canoes - distinctive in its arrowhead prow - have different types and functionality. Some canoes are used for rituals, others as âwar canoesâ during the times of the headhunting, and most common ones are for daily hunting and gathering use.