Specifications

• Height: 70 and 75 cm
• Material: wood, shell, plant fibre, pigment
• Position: 
• Gender: 
• Indigenous name: salawaka, ma dadatoko (Tobelo)
• Price realised: € 1.860,-

Provenance

Lempertz, Brussels 15-6-2016 lot 98.

Publications

Platenkamp, J.D.M. (1988), Ideas and Values of a North Moluccan Society, 200-201; Id. (1990), De waarde der dingen; Ceremoniële geschenken van de Tobelo, 41

Additional information

Like the house, weapons are likened to the human body. Measurements are given by the ancestors and should be obeyed and if not properly measured would fail in the defence (shield). The front of the shield is seen as a human body with a head, feet, eyes, the front ridges are the arteries and the ridge at the back is the spine. The number of ‘eyes’, made of porcelain or shell relate to the number of enemies slain by the warriors of the House. The Tobelo name for this shield is ma dadatoko, which means ‘protection’ or ‘defence’ and relates to the protection of an ancestor-warrior. These shields were important in the nuptial exchange of the House of wife-takers to the House of the wife-givers. These shields protected the house and were hung in front of it and were wielded in the warrior dance (hoyla). 

It is interesting to notice that The Tobelo and neighbouring Tobaru, Galela and Sahu in northern Halmahera speak non-Austronesian languages that belong to the Papua language group. The human body and the identification with a (famous) warrior is found in southwest Papua. 

Photo credits

Lempertz, Brussels