Funerary figure (tau tau)
Indonesia, South Sulawesi, Sa’dan Toraja people
19th century or earlier
Wood
32 11/16 x 9 3/8 x 6 3/4 in. (83.03 x 23.81 x 17.15 cm)
The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Art Fund, Inc., 1980.2.McD

The Toraja carve special effigies of their high-ranking dead in wood. Dressed in fine clothing, the figures are set on balconies adjacent to cliff tombs, where they gaze fixedly upon the world of the living. The tau tau (tau means “person” and tau tau “little person”) is associated with the spirit of the deceased and serves to remind the Toraja of their ancestors. This figure represents the oldest known style. Its taut limbs and primal scream create a haunting, emotionally charged image.