In Borneo, baby carriers have the dual purpose of physical and spiritual protection. This wooden example is carved with squatting figures with heart-shaped faces, and barred teeth. They serve as 'guardians' of the vulnerable soul of a new born against diseases, and any other malevolent force. It is especially used for the primary ritual in the child’s life, when he or she is first taken outside of the house. Baby carriers made solely of wood belonged to the upper classes and chieftains. The heart-shaped face is a feature which originates in objects from the Southeast Asian bronze age, in particular the Dong Son Culture (1000 B.C. to A.D. 100), and which survived as a key motif among a few Kayanic groups in Borneo until the 20th century.
