The islands of Melanesia lie northwest of Australia and include Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, and Fiji. This group of islands is south of Micronesia and west of Polynesia. Some of the islands in Melanesia may have been populated as early as 25,000 BCE.
One of the regions of Melanesia known for its artistic traditions and creations is the Sepik region of New Guinea. The Sepik River is the longest river in New Guinea, and the cultures that existed along its banks created a number of different decorated objects. Many of these creations were utilitarian in the sense that they were objects created to be used. Bowls and cooking pots were used to make food. Spears, shields, and arrows were used for protection and for war-making. Yet while these objects were used, they were also highly decorated.