Malagan

Malagan carvings, now world-famous, are the wooden carvings which are created for use in malagan ceremonies. Traditionally these were burnt at the conclusion of the event; in modern times most are now retained, as the carving tradition is now only known by a few. Many malagan carvings are held in European and other museums.Each malagan has an ownership history and a story, sometimes a personal name, plus a complex of songs, chants, performances and ritual sites associated with it. Its design is old, but each carver reinterprets it.