Lot #65: Tribal Batak Carved Wooden Shaman's Staff (Tunggal Panaluan) from Borneo

A fascinating carved shaman's staff ( tunggal panaluan) from far away Sumatra,Borneo. Batak tribal affiliation. Measures 65" in length. In very good condition with no missing elements, broken sections, odours, insect or water damage. Dark patina present. The Batak are renowned for their deep-rooted animist beliefs and intricate ritual traditions. This staff was crafted as a sacred object for shamans (datu) and is used in healing rituals, protection, and for communication with the spirit world. This staff is created in three pieces. It can be taken apart for ease of transportation. The most powerful members of a Batak community are the datu. They are experts in religion, and are most often members of the village's founding family. These specialists, exclusively male, are able to cure the sick, contact the spirits of the dead, and predict auspicious days for particular events. A datu's most important possession is his ritual staff, made of special wood that symbolizes the tree of life. Since a specialist is required to create his own staff, they vary widely in style and form. Specialists "animate" or activate the power of the figures by filling them with a magical potion, known as pupuk. Potent and greatly feared, these ornate magic staffs are used in esoteric rites to ward off evil, protect villages and foretell the future. So powerful are they that the sorcerer himself carves the images into his staff, and impregnates it with a magic potion. Priests’ staffs usually feature complex anthropomorphic figures. On this staff, human, demonic and reptilian creatures appear in ascending size, one upon the other. A lizard figure & the long tails of the demon figures cascade down the back of the staff. The human hair of the top figure is bound by a headdress of cotton and fibre. A truly unique and fascinating item, rarely found in this part of the world! Dimensions: 65" Pickup category timeslot {A}