Male ancestor figure "adu nuwu" or "adu zatua" ·  Indonesia - Nias · ID: 3032366

Description

light brown wood, black paint, high towering crown-shaped head ornament with coiled fern ornaments “ni ‘o wöli wöli” and ear ornament, min. dam., traces of insect caused damage, cracks, on wooden base;
the people of Nias believe that the spirits of the dead have supernatural power and that they are able to influence the living in a positive or negative way. By venerating “adu zatua”, wooden images carved in their likeness, they try to appease the spirits and keep them well-disposed.

The object Male ancestor figure “adu nuwu” or “adu zatua” with the object ID 3032366 was last part of the auction 68th tribal art auction at March 3, 2012 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 5.

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Comparing literature

Nias, Tribal Treasures, Delft 1990, p. 203