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GERRY BARTON AND SABINE WEIK
The Paruai malagan in the Linden-Museum Stuttgart
In 1901 the set of carvings now known as the Paruai malagan was commissioned to
complete the funeral ceremonies required on account of the loss at sea of ten villa
gers sometime earlier. The deceased came from the stretch of the New Ireland east
coast which encompasses the hamlets of Paruai, Senerei, and Lavongararum, often
collectively known as Paruai (ills.l&2). The work took a year and a half to complete
and upon the consummation of the rites was promptly disposed of as tradition de
manded. Franz Boluminski, the German colonial administrator of Neu Mecklenburg
stationed at Kavieng 50 kilometres from Paruai acquired it. Well able to judge that it
was a masterpiece he dispatched it to Count von Linden, Director of the
Wiirttembergische Verein fur Handelsgeographie in Stuttgart for inclusion in the as
sociation’s museum. In May 1903 it arrived and was accessioned into the collection as
number 30158. Count Linden wrote to Boluminski about the occasion:
Two nights ago two crates of antediluvian proportions arrived. Normally I unpack
things myself but on this occasion I requested help from the Royal State Collections
staff... Captivated by the size of the second crate we with great respect opened it but our
jubilation over the house pole we found was stopped in our throats when we realized
that part of it was badly damaged. However, upon further inspection I saw that from
the undamaged half we should with care be able to reconstruct the damaged portion.
All dismay was forgotten when we lifted out the wonderful boat and found it comple
tely intact. As a matter of fact we were all moved by the magic possessed by this outs
tanding, highly interesting piece. Undoubtedly it is one of the gems of our South Seas
collection.... 1
Description of the Paruai malagan
What had Boluminski sent? The boat component of the Paruai malagan is a stylized
dug out canoe six metres long, its sides carved in relief work and coloured with its
300 kilometres
— O
Pacific Ocean