Ceremonial string winder

A male ancestor sits at the top of this string winder, presiding over the construction of a new ceremonial house. The undecorated central portion served as a spool for the measuring cords that ensured the building would have the appropriate dimensions. Conceived of as boats, Maluku houses are spoken about in nautical terms. This correlation recalls the transition from ocean to land by the early migrating groups who founded homelands as newcomers to these islands.