The openwork malu boards of the Sawos people of New Guinea are
perhaps the ultimate expression of the curvilinear style that
characterizes the carving of the Middle Sepik River. Although
created by the Sawos, malu are traded to the neighboring Iatmul
people who use them in the context of the initiation ceremonies
that mark the transition of boys to manhood. If a boy dies
during the initiation process, the malu are displayed to the
village women to indicate that a death has occurred. The complex
imagery of these objects incorporates bird, mammal, and insect
forms, many of which represent totemic species. The central face
of this object depicts the heart of the sago beetle, a large
insect. Four hornbills, important totemic birds, are
incorporated into the openwork carving. The pig, an animal of
great social and ritual significance throughout New Guinea,
appears at the base.