The creators of these unique containers add their signature, this time in the form of wooden effigies representing their totemic guardian spirit or ancestor figure, that act as the plug.
Most of the traditional Timorese men still create their own containers. The precision with which they are created, using the simplest of tools, has to be seen to be appreciated. The carving marches/matches perfectly around the tube of bamboo and each represents hours of work. The motifs include the Timorese version of the Kaif or diamond hook & rhomb which represents the carvers’ clan and totemic guardian spirits or Crocodiles/Besi that feature heavily in many crafts from the Land of the Sleeping Crocodile.
Copyright Julie Emery 22/02/2022©