Decorated with vivid pigments of red and yellow and adorned with a janiform mask finial, this ceremonial spoon was used in conjunction with sago, a starchy food base manufactured from the pith of the tropical sago palm. Sago is a major staple food for the lowland peoples of New Guinea and the Moluccas, where it is called saksak, rabia, and sagu. Sago flour is mixed with water and is eaten as fried cakes or boiled into a thick soup.

In Morobe Province in Papua New Guinea, where the Tami Islands are located, sago also plays a central cultural role, attested by the artistic quality of this impressive spoon. Relief designs heightened with white pigment are found at the neck and tail, and an openwork section with two opposed, mask-like faces united by a single cap forms the finial. Showing fierce expressions, they hold small arms up to touch beneath their chins. The warm brown of the spoon’s aged wood harmonizes beautifully with the red and yellow hues highlighting the masks and handle, imbuing the piece with a sense of heat and vitality.