Flute Stopper - Biwat

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For many indigenous peoples of New Guinea, flutes hold a revered and significant place among all musical instruments. Sacred flutes are crafted from hollow bamboo cylinders and played by blowing through a precise hole near the upper end of the instrument, similar to Western flute techniques. The openings of side-blown flutes are often sealed with elaborate flute stoppers that adorn ashin, flutes associated with mystical crocodile spirits. Some of the most exquisite flute stoppers originate from the skilled artisans of the Biwat people residing along the Yuat River in northeast New Guinea. These remarkable stoppers typically depict stylized human figures characterized by small bodies and large heads featuring exceptionally high-domed foreheads. Although they portray human images, these stoppers are actually used to adorn flutes associated with powerful crocodile spirits. These ashin flutes play a crucial role in initiation rites where novices crawl into the mouth of an enormous crocodile effigy to be cut by its sharp teeth. The initiators wield actual sharp instruments that make precise cuts on the novices' bodies, resulting in permanent scarification patterns that signify their status as initiated individuals.