Papua New Guinean art refers to visual art created in Papua New Guinea or by Papua New Guinean artists. Papua New Guinea has been inhabited by humans for roughly 50,000 years; throughout that period, the hundreds of distinct ethnic groups of the island developed unique artistics traditions and styles. Statues and figurines, ritual masks, carvings, and weavings, all generally with spiritual and religious significance, comprise a majority of the art created historically in Papua New Guinea. In the late 20th century, a contemporary art movement emerged roughly the same time as the country gained its independence in the 1970s. This movement reflected both the nation's tribal traditions and customs as well as its progression towards modernization.