The backdrop to the display of four Malagan carvings and 2 masks is a large glass cabinet containing a collection of 30 of Papua New Guinea’s brightly coloured birds including several species of birds of paradise and kingfishers.
There are two wooden Malagan poles, approx 1.8m tall, one either side of the cabinet, carved into many intricately intertwined figures of birds and humans. Both poles are decorated with white, black and red pigments.
The left hand pole is topped with a light brown half drum shaped mask above which protrude two white upright rabbit-like ears. Two small widely spaced white eyes and a wide slit mouth from which dangles a snake like figure. Beneath this stands a male figure wearing a large mask on the front of which is carved a bird, its tail feathers fanning out at the top and its beak pointing downwards towards the figure’s clasped hands. He is standing astride the head of another bird
The right hand pole depicts two identical birds at the apex, one in a downward flight, the other flying upwards, meeting at their beaks. Below the birds is a male figure with an open grin from ear to ear displaying fearsome pointed teeth, and with his hands clasped in front around an upright pole. He is standing with his legs astride the carving of an owl mask.
At the base of each pole sits an owl mask, (60cm tall), a very large brown/black fibre bird-shaped head with two large wooden feather-shaped tufts protruding from its crown, and two black eyes outlined in larger ovals of brown and white on either side of its slightly rounded front. Each has a beak dangling from the centre of the base of the mask.
Standing immediately in front of the bird cabinet are two Marumarua Malagan figures each approximately 75cm tall. The left hand figure is male, has a black face and a large white patterned disc covering his chest; the right hand figure is female, her right hand clutching a pendulous breast. Both have light coloured fibrous headwear with two small upright feather-shaped ears visible on either side of the crown.