Oceanic Art Death Family Figures For Advice

On the island of Leti in eastern Indonesia, figures like these represented the spirit of someone who had recently died.  People kept these sculptures in their houses so they could ask their advice and consult them on major decisions.

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Ancestor Figure (Yene)

Date: 19th–early 20th century

Geography: Indonesia, Leti Islands, Maluku Tenggara

Culture: Leti Islands

Medium: Wood

Dimensions: H. 16 1/2 in. (41.9 cm)

Classification: Wood-Sculpture

Credit Line: Gift of Fred and Rita Richman, 1988

Accession Number: 1988.143.103

On view in Gallery 355

DESCRIPTION OBJECT INFORMATION RELATED OBJECTS ONLINE RESOURCES  

Throughout the islands of Maluku Tenggara in eastern Indonesia, ancestor images indicated important links between the living and the dead. Small seated ancestor figures depicted deceased family members and were kept and used within the home. The present image is likely from Leti Island, where such images were called yene. Each depicted a specific recently deceased individual and served as a vessel in which his or her spirit resided temporarily before departing for the land of the dead and to which it periodically returned to receive offerings or be consulted about important matters. On Leti, the pose of yene indicated the gender and status of the deceased. Male ancestors were shown seated with the legs drawn in to the body, and female ancestors were depicted with the legs crossed.

Object Type / Material

Sculpture (25,144)

Figures (5,212)

 

Geographic Location

Asia (68,697)

Indonesia (2,955)

Maluku (13)

Leti, Kepulauan (7)

 

Department

Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas (11,682)

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