Uli figure
Encyclopedia
Uli figures are wooden statues from New Ireland
in Papua New Guinea
. They are said to depict either an ancestor or a sort of force or energy associated with ancestral power. Apparently hermaphroditic
, they were used in rites associated with fertility and commemoration of important ancestors.
New Ireland (island)
New Ireland is a large island in Papua New Guinea, approximately 7,404 km² in area. It is the largest island of the New Ireland Province, lying northeast of the island of New Britain. Both islands are part of the Bismarck Archipelago, named after Otto von Bismarck, and they are separated by...
in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
. They are said to depict either an ancestor or a sort of force or energy associated with ancestral power. Apparently hermaphroditic
Hermaphrodite
In biology, a hermaphrodite is an organism that has reproductive organs normally associated with both male and female sexes.Many taxonomic groups of animals do not have separate sexes. In these groups, hermaphroditism is a normal condition, enabling a form of sexual reproduction in which both...
, they were used in rites associated with fertility and commemoration of important ancestors.