Collections: Arts of Africa and the Pacific Islands: Ancestor Figure (Adu Bihara)

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Ancestor Figure (Adu Bihara)

To honor deceased family members, villagers kept carved wooden figures to contain the souls of their ancestors in the family house. These two female figures (adu bihara) holding small bowls are a type of image that was often tied together in a row to suggest a lineage of ancestors.

This text refers to these objects: 34.6075; 34.6076

• Medium: Wood, pigment
• Place Made: Gunungsitoli Village, Nias, Indonesia
• Dates: early 20th century
• Dimensions: 10 1/8 x 2 3/8 x 2 1/2 in. (25.7 x 6 x 6.4 cm)
• Collections: Arts of Africa and the Pacific Islands
• Museum Location: This item is on view in The Arts of the Pacific, 1st Floor
• Accession Number: 34.6076
• Credit Line: George C. Brackett Fund
• Image: Overall, 34.6076_SL1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
Ancestor Figure (Adu Bihara), early 20th century. Wood, pigment, 10 1/8 x 2 3/8 x 2 1/2 in. (25.7 x 6 x 6.4 cm). Brooklyn Museum, George C. Brackett Fund, 34.6076 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 34.6076_SL1.jpg)
• Catalogue Description: Wooden female figure, seated, with prominent headdress. Represents ancestor of the group. Said to have come from the house of a chieftain of the village of Gunung Sitoli, and to have been obtained in 1914 before the Rhine Mission Association had converted most of the locals and destroyed most of the remaining 'idols.' Figures from the same village collected by Kleiweg de Zwaan, in the Munich Volkenkunek Museum (Nina Capistrano 5/22/92).