The Museum of New Caledonia

We are still anchored in Noumea, enjoying this interesting hybrid European and South Pacific city. There are several museums in the city, some quite convenient to where we are anchored, including the excellent Museum of New Caledonia. This museum displays cultural artifacts from New Caledonia and nearby Pacific islands. Following are some pictures we took of their collection:

House posts in the first gallery. These served as entrance and center posts for the round New Caledonian houses.

Roof pole detail

Entrance post detail

Mask used in mourning ceremony

Mask with human hair

Some areas carved masks with string relief, other more flat

Ceremonial ax head of jade

Lobster trap

Medicine pots were made by the men while women made the cooking pots

Mask from Vanuatu

Pigs tucks were used as money in Vanuatu - the longer the better, The pigs teeth were removed to allow the  tusk to recurve

Bridal head dress from New Guinea

New guinea bowls

Mast displaying people whose deaths were to be avenged by head hunting - Papua New Guinea