Collection Online

Browse by artist name

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
Boulder dwelling of Butakom, a forest spirit

Manal Kapay
Boulder dwelling of Butakom, a forest spirit
 1988

Medium
earth and natural pigments on sago palm petiole

Measurements
124.0 × 63.4 cm

Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased through the NGV Foundation with the assistance of The Thomas William Lasham Fund, Founder Benefactor, 2001

Reproduction requests

Gallery location
Not on display

Artwork Details

Place/s of Execution
Bangwis village, Washkuk Hills, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea

Accession Number
2001.406

Department
Pacific Art

Physical description
The three large black roundels arranged in a column at the centre of the painting depict different representations of a gigantic bolder located on the artist’s land. Boulders are believed to be the dwelling place of a powerful spirit, in this case – one named Butakom.

Explore the collection

The search Greg Semu A young woman of the Sandwich Islands J. K. SHERWIN (engraver); John WEBBER (draughtsman) The bathers Anne ZAHALKA The Pacific whaling ship UNKNOWN (Scrimshander) H'nard K'nore G'nang G'near PACIFIC SISTERS, New Zealand (art collective); Rosanna RAYMOND A woman of Van Diemen's Land J. CALDWELL (engraver); John WEBBER (draughtsman) The Raft Greg Semu Fa'afafine Greg Semu The sighting Greg Semu Outfit: Habanero halter top, Pacific pleats skirt, Hibiscus, feather and Pule headpiece and Towards a ship of new arrivals... necklace DORIS DE PONT, Auckland (fashion house); Doris DE PONT (designer); Margo BARTON (milliner); Sofia TEKELA-SMITH Light Greg Semu Pacific Peter UPWARD Yari country Rover Thomas Gyro, table Brodie NEILL (designer) Human head, hacha Maya, Pacific Coast, Guatemala Three ring sail parachutes of Skylab 3 at splashdown in pacific NASA, Washington, D.C. (manufacturer) Pacific Transformer 4 Tama Sharman H'nard K'nore G'nang G'nirl PACIFIC SISTERS, New Zealand (art collective); Rosanna RAYMOND Death (La Pieta of the Raft) Greg Semu The enjoyable lesson François BOUCHER Voyage of the Waka and the origin of the Dreaming James Tylor (Possum) Survival and atomic bombing WORLD, Auckland (fashion house); Denise L'ESTRANGE-CORBET (designer); Francis HOOPER (designer); Reuben Paterson Pacific Transformer 2 Tama Sharman The Raft Greg Semu Fern Tree Gully, Table Mountain, Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land John Skinner PROUT MEDAL An Epitome of the Natural History of the Insects of New Holland, New Zealand, New Guinea, Otaheite and Other Islands in the Indian, Southern and Pacific Oceans; including the Figures and Descriptions of One Hundred and Fifty Species of the more Splendid, Beautiful and Interesting Insects, Hitherto Discovered in those Countries…, Edward DONOVAN A man of Van Diemen's Land J. CALDWELL (engraver); John WEBBER (draughtsman) Wubarr ceremony Thompson Yulidirri Suite of glasses Andrew BROADWAY (designer); Annette WATT (designer)