Title
Guardian figure
Year/Period
19th century
Region
Borneo
Object Type
Material
Technique
Accession No.
1995-02427
Collection of
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Andy Ng
This ‘hampatong’ comes from the Iban people of Northern Borneo. It is generally believed by Dayaks to be a guardian figure, however, their function differed from village to village; they could be made to protect the village from malicious spirits and epidemics, or could represent a servant to the dead in the underworld, or even a deceased ancestor. It could even commemorate the taking of an enemy head in warfare.
