Raoni's Club

Kayapo (Mebêngôkre), Xingu Region, Brazilian Amazon

20th century

Carved wood, braided plant fibers, dyed ritual bindings

Length: 112 cm

A PRESENCE — BETWEEN AUTHORITY AND INCARNATION

With an immediate formal power, this Kayapo ceremonial club is distinguished by a triangular head with clean, taut lines, extended by a handle entirely sheathed in plant fiber weaving of remarkable density.

The radical simplicity of the form—almost minimalist—focuses all attention here on the precision of the proportions, the tension of the volumes, and the quality of the material. Nothing is superfluous: the object commands attention through its very presence.

The handle’s full-length weave—a technically demanding process—transcends mere functionality, imbuing the piece with a dimension of representation and status. The ancient ligatures, some of which are dyed red, contribute to this symbolic significance.

RAONI—A FIGURE, AN OBJECT

This club is reproduced in the reference work TRIBES – The First People (Jean-Pierre Dutilleux, Vilo)

As an iconic leader of the Kayapo, Raoni embodies a living memory of the Xingu cultures. Here, the object transcends its material form to take on an embodied dimension.

PROVENANCE

Jean-Pierre Dutilleux Collection

Assembled during field missions in the Amazon

PUBLICATION

Jean-Pierre Dutilleux, TRIBES – The First People, Vilo Publishing

CONDITION

Good overall condition

Consistent original patina

Original fastenings preserved