pre-contact and stone-carved Asmat drum New Guinea

Drums in Asmat culture are associated with the origin of human life. They are played at all ceremonies and rituals,
as well as an accompaniment to nearly all village songs, both public and private.
Myths explain that man was born from wooden figures carved by a being named Fumeripits to ease his loneliness.
As he drummed alone the figures came to life and became the first Asmat people.
Drums are called em, eme, im, imi, kiendo, and ta’impe.


Bibliography:
Gerbrands, Adrian A. (ed.) 1967, The Asmat of New Guinea: The Journal of Michael Clark Rockefeller. New York: Museum of Primitive Art.
Helferich, Klaus, Jebens, Holger, Nelke, Wolfgang & Winckelmann, Carolina 1995, Asmat - Mythos und Kunst im Leben mit den Ahnen. Berlin: Museum für Völkerkunde.
Konrad, Gunter & Konrad, Ursula (eds) 1996, Asmat - Myth and ritual the inspiration of Art. Erizzo Editrice, Venice 1995
Schneebaum, Tobias: Embodied Spirits - Ritual Carvings of the Asmat. Salem: Peabody Museum of Salem.1990
Smidt, Dirk (ed.), Asmat Art: Woodcarvings of Southwest New Guinea. Leiden 1993