Adorned with shells, fiber and pig tusks.
Karahuts" are woven from hibiscus bark twine and sennit fibre,
decorated with boar's tusks, small Nasa shells with applied
ochre and charcoal paints. Karahuts are used in a number of
ceremonies, during dancing they are held between the teeth
using a string coming out from the back about the level of the
eyes. When not being used they are hung around the neck and
lie in the middle of the man's back or worn around the neck as a
pectoral adornment at sing sing's. Wild pigs are very aggressive
and the wearer of the karahut believes that when the 'horns' are
spouting from his mouth he can adopt its power when fighting.
The woven figure depicted an enemy who dangles helplessly
impaled on the pigs / fighters tusks. The name of this art form,
Kara means 'Pig or Boar' and Ut means 'net bag' has a significant
spiritual context. Contained within the body of the figure is a
bundle of magical leaves & herbs that aid the wearer."
MEASUREMENTS: H: 10 1/2” x W: 4”
