Bisj Pole

A Bisj, Mbis or Bis pole is a ritual artifact created and used by the Asmat people of South-western New Guinea, Indonesia.

[2] Bisj poles can also be erected as an act of revenge, to pay homage to the ancestors, to calm the spirits of the deceased, and to bring harmony and spiritual strength to the community.

Religious Asmat iconography and mythology make up the appearance of the pole, but also includes the canoe-shaped bottom, which is commonly found in Oceanian art.

[5] This could also reference the Ci', or "Dugout Canoe" in Asmat people plays an integral part to their daily life, as the Papua Province is swampy.

[6] Carved out of a single piece of a wild mangrove[7] tree, Bisj poles can reach heights of up to 25 feet (7.62 m).

Scale is important to the creation of Bisj Poles, as the tallest height has been thirty feet long.