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Some people may have not heard about the Asmat tribe; it is a primitive tribe lives in Papua, Indonesia. This particular tribe is formerly well known as a notorious ‘head-hunter’. This primitive Asmat tribe of Papua, Indonesia is also well known for its gorgeous woodcarving. The Asmat woodcarving is famous as the best woodcarvings in the stone-age. As a matter of fact, Asmat woodcarving is amongst the finest woodcarvings in the world. As the belief that spread among the Asmat tribe said that their ancestors were carved from trees that then drummed into life by the creator known as Fumeripits; they considered wood as a sacred thing.

Asmat woodcarving has a very diverse model that ranges from boats, panels, statues, shields, small drums, pole and even egg kaswari carving (a kind of big bird live in Papua). The patterns of Asmat woodcarving usually derives from their daily lives experience, trees, animals, people boating, fishing, hunting, etc. We will easily make a conclusion upon visiting and learning about the Asmat woodcarving that their carving skill is actually a tradition as well as ritual life that has a close relationship to respect their ancestors as well as having a deep relationship to their spiritual life. In the process of Asmat woodcarving, a Wowipit, the Asmat wood carver will not merely do the carving, but he will also withdraw a spiritual living.

Asmat woodcarving is magnificent that attracts a lot of people from all over the world to collect them. In fact, the value of Asmat woodcarving in the market is extremely expensive. However, some collectors prefer to come to the site of its origin to get a cheaper price. You will find that Asmat woodcarving is absolutely unique and one of a kind since this particular Asmat woodcarving will have no duplicate due to the wood carver who will never make the same pattern in their carvings. Even if you have the forms of Asmat woodcarving such as shield, panels or small drum, the pattern carved on such items would totally different.

Nowadays, there is an accessible way to reach the remote area of the Asmat tribe location, a lot of foreigners from America and Europe especially Germany are visiting site so as to they can see for themselves how the magnificent Asmat woodcarving is made and can purchase it at the lowest possible price than ones available in the market. This effort has made possible for the Asmat woodcarving to travel around the world and become the collections of some museums, galleries as well as households of the ethnic-style carving lovers. One of the museums with Asmat woodcarving on its collection is the Museum of Primitive Art, New York City.

During Asmat Festival, which is held in October each year, visitor could watch group of carvers display their woodcarving skills.