Sentani Art
The Fouw Motif
This is what I know about the kulit kayu (wood bark) and the Fouw-motif ----- Kayu often has a hand-painted 'Fouw' motif (Spiral / Circular). There are different 'Fouw' images, but they all share the same meaning and say about the village life, in which the village or tribal chief plays an important role. Life in the village is set as a circle in which villagers / tribal members support each other and there is a general deep respect for the tribal chief (Ondowafi). On the other hand, the Ondowafi cooperates with other tribal chiefs (Koselo) to maintain mutual cooperation. The Ondowafi must also ensure that there is enough "blessing" (food in the form of wildlife) and also other foods such as tubers, fish, etc. In other words, balancing the economy in the village. Each family in the tribe represents the best part of its hunting yield, fishing or other gathered food to the tribal chief, with the purpose of using it for special occasions such as traditional festivals.