Gope Board
Artist: Unknown
Culture/People: Elema
Place: Gulf of Papuan, New Guinea
Media: Wood and natural pigments
Dims: 75 x 13 in. (128.9 x 33 cm)
Date: c. 1900
RTC No: OC0073
Gift of Ralph T. Coe, 2011
Description
Gope Boards, also known as spirit boards or kwoi/hohao, originate from the Gulf of Papua in New Guinea and are made by the Kikori, Baimaru, Uruma, Hohao, and Orokolo peoples. Often carved from old canoes, which carry the essence of the clan and symbolize the transition from the material to the spiritual realm, these boards hold significant cultural and spiritual value among the Indigenous communities.
The boards are intricately carved and painted. They embody spirits, possibly revered as clan ancestors, and are made by men. Human faces and stylized figures are often included and represent these ancestral figures. A rare type of Gope Board features a complete human figure with the navel highlighted, which may symbolize the point of origin of life. This board in the Coe Collection depicts a figure with another figure within its body. Could this represent the birth of the clan? Or something else altogether? Whatever appears on the boards is a language, and to be sure of its exact meaning, one needs to ask the maker. Regarding the Coe board, the intricate detail was especially appreciated by Ralph T. Coe, a notable collector, who very much speculated on the deeper meanings behind these carvings.
Gope Boards vary in size and function. The largest boards, owned by the entire clan, were stored out of sight within men’s longhouses. Medium-sized boards guarded the entrances to clan sections of communal houses, while the smallest boards belonged to young, uninitiated men and were hung where boys slept, believed to offer protection and aid in their growth and strength. Additionally, these boards are thought to act as protectors, with the spirits within them, referred to as “gopes,” believed to have the ability to travel underground to ward off potential enemies, further underscoring their role as spiritual guardians.
The artistic features of Gope Boards are characterized by symmetrical, curved, and linear designs, often with red, white, and black pigments derived from natural sources. These colors and designs enhance the boards’ visual appeal and are imbued with symbolic meaning and cultural significance.
Each Gope Board is unique and reflects the skill and creativity of its maker, as well as the rich cultural heritage of the Papuan Gulf communities. Creating a Gope Board is meticulous and requires a deep understanding of traditional carving techniques and spiritual beliefs. They connect the living with their ancestors and the spiritual realm.
In contemporary times, Gope Boards have gained recognition beyond the Papuan Gulf and are appreciated for their artistic and cultural value. They serve as a testament to the rich cultural legacy of the Indigenous peoples of Papua New Guinea. Despite the changing times, the tradition of making Gope Boards continues, preserving the cultural identity and spiritual practices of the communities that have created them for generations.
The Elema people live on the long coast of Orokolo Bay in southern Papua New Guinea. The carved and painted boards depicted spirits of the bush which were also considered clan ancestors. These boards were carved by Elema men and were hung inside the ceremonial house (eravo). Hohao, such as this one, which depicts a whole human figure, is rare. They did, however, almost always prominently display the navel as it was seen as the place of origin of the clan. Ted Coe especially liked how this example showed another figure within the navel of the main figure, speculating that it possibly could represent the birth of the clan.
“Gope boards were used in the men’s house to contain the evil spirits of powerful ancestors who want to inhabit a living body. Rarely does a fully detailed figure represent the navel of a certain clan, but this one does. Pictured is the grandfather with the baby in his stomach. The grandfather was the creator of the tribe, which really stuck out because it’s usually a woman in most cultures who is the first being.”
—Ashlyn Lavato (Santa Clara Pueblo), Hands-On Curatorial Program, Student Curator, 2018