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The art of the Papuan Gulf area, in New Guinea, has long been misunderstood. What remained of indigenous cultures has suffered. The objects were burned, broken, buried, moldied, gnawed. So it is unusual that German scientists discovered in 1966 a large statue of the god Iriwake in good enough condition to be repaired. Iriwake, which means man of the woods, is the god of thunder and war, and enco…