Tanimbar Tavu

Tavu is a carved wooden ancestral altar from the Tanimbar Islands of Maluku, symbolizing ancestral guardianship, fertility, and the continuity of lineage. Traditionally placed facing the entrance of noble homes, it served as a spiritual bridge between the living and the dead, where prayers and offerings were made for prosperity and renewal. Its graceful upward curving arms form the shape of a boat, a powerful symbol in Tanimbar culture representing the marriage of the first ancestors, where the woman, embodied as the boat, is boarded by the helmsman, the man, to set sail and create society. This imagery extends into boat building rituals that join male and female components, reflecting fertility, social organisation, and the belief that villages and houses mirror a ship and its crew. The tavu thus embodies the enduring connection between ancestry, community, and the cycles of life.

Ritual Prayer Sculpture, circa 1900
Origin: Tanimbar, Maluku
Material: Wood carving
Dimension: 160 x 112 x 40 cm
Condition: Antiques

Condition Guide
Perfect: Items are in perfect condition
Pristine: It may show lightening, small stains and damage
Antiques: Condition is relative to age, since imperfections are what give vintage pieces their special character