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SHRUNKEN HEAD ON DISPLAY

Wellington Museum’s Acquisition

(New Zealand Press Association,

WELLINGTON, May 6. The shrunken head of a witchdoctor from the Tivaro people of Ecuador, South America, is the latest display in the new change case at the Dominion Museum, Wellington. The head is about the size of a tennis ball, has jet black hair and is decorated with brightly coloured beetle wing covers and feathers. “The head was secured in London some time ago by Mr K. A. Webster,” said the museum’s ethnologist, Dr. T. T. Barrow.

“The head was shrunk to its present proportions by the removal of the skin from the skull which with the flesh is thrown away.

“The skin is softened by boiling it in water and the mouth and eyes are sewn up to prevent the evil spirit of the sorcerer from escaping. The skin was shrunk by filling it with hot sand. “We are lucky that this is a real human head. Many of the ones on the market today are heads of monkeys which are sold as genuine, shrunken human heads, to unwary collectors.”

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19590507.2.103

Bibliographic details

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28888, 7 May 1959, Page 13

Word Count
183

SHRUNKEN HEAD ON DISPLAY Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28888, 7 May 1959, Page 13

SHRUNKEN HEAD ON DISPLAY Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28888, 7 May 1959, Page 13