Birds of God, the journey of the bird of paradise in Steyl
Birds of God. This is how birds of paradise were described, both by the people of New Guinea and by early traders and scientists from all over the world. Born and captured in the rainforest, birds of paradise travel to small coastal towns of New Guinea, which become the starting point of a global trade network and thereby leave an indelible impression on the world. Missionaries from Steyl not only spread the word of God locally, but also traded in the Birds of God. Today, the bird of paradise remains a powerful symbol representing status and beauty, and is strongly connected to the identity of both the indigenous groups of New Guinea and the Papuan diaspora in the Netherlands. This exhibition is on view on the final day, December 1, 2024, at the Mission Museum of Steyl.
Birds of God, the journey of the bird of paradise
How the mission village of Steyl became the center of the trade in bird of paradise feathers for fashion houses in Berlin and Paris. The importance of the bird of paradise to the hunters and missionary brothers of the past and to New Guinea today. Unique to this exhibition is that the story of the bird of paradise is told from three different perspectives: indigenous, colonial, and the mission.
Heavenly beauty
Upon entering, the visitor arrives in the rainforest of Arso, New Guinea. Surrounded by the sounds, colors, and patterns of the rainforest, the visitor searches for the many (stuffed) birds of paradise. Tiliauw's dagger holds a special place here, surrounded by various spears used in the hunt for the bird of paradise.
Product of God
From the rainforest, the visitor is taken on the journey of the bird of paradise, which leaves New Guinea as merchandise and travels across the rest of the world. Here we see the drawers containing bird of paradise skins from Brother Berchmans' stock. And we see the final products: European hats and a Nepalese headdress, all adorned with bird of paradise feathers.
Powerful Symbol
The visitor returns to the rainforest of Arso, but in the spirit of the present day. Where another side of the rich rainforest also becomes visible: the establishment of oil palm plantations. Interviews with the people of Arso and private collections from the Papua community here in the Netherlands show how the bird of paradise remains a powerful symbol.
Birds of paradise (general)
Birds of paradise are a family of birds in the order Passeriformes, which is almost entirely restricted to New Guinea and surrounding islands, and northeastern Australia. A few species also occur in the Moluccas. Birds of paradise are adorned with very luxuriant feathers. This is the result of excessive sexual selection, which was made possible by the absence of natural predators.
They are sturdily built birds with a fairly heavy beak and powerful legs and toes. They vary in size from that of a starling to that of a crow, but some species appear considerably larger due to the elongated flank and tail feathers. The brown sicklebill measures 97–100 cm in total, but a large part of this is accounted for by the tail. The males of most species are brightly colored and adorned with veils, capes, fans, and the like. These are polygamous. In the less conspicuous species, the male and female have virtually identical plumage. These are mostly monogamous.
Inhabitants of New Guinea often used the feathers to adorn headdresses. The bird of paradise is considered a national or provincial symbol in New Guinea. In the province of Papua, which belongs to Indonesia, this is the yellow-tailed little bird of paradise; in Papua New Guinea, it is primarily Raggi's bird of paradise, with a reddish-brown tail. The Malay name for the bird of paradise, Cenderawasih, is frequently assigned to places, regions, and institutions in New Guinea. Raggi's bird of paradise is depicted on the national flag of Papua New Guinea and is also the symbol of the national airline, Air Niugini.
Snowy White – Bird of Paradise (1983)
"Bird of Paradise" is the debut single by former Thin Lizzy guitarist Snowy White, taken from his debut album White Flames, released in 1983. The single became White's biggest hit, reaching number six in the UK Singles Chart in January 1984, where it remained for eleven weeks. In the Dutch Top 40, its peak position was number six. The song was the only single released from the album and is White's signature song.
Video Snowy White – Bird of Paradise (1983):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewjw3wlVttQ
The time at which your response becomes visible may vary by language and take up to 24 hours.