Hasapi Flower

Hasapi is a traditional two-stringed lute from the Toba Batak people of northern Sumatra, Indonesia. It has a slender, boat-shaped body carved from a single piece of wood and typically features a fretless neck. The instrument is tuned to intervals such as a minor or major third and is played by plucking. Historically, it was used in religious ceremonies and courtship rituals, and today it remains an important part of the uning-uningan, the traditional Batak musical ensemble. According to legend, the hasapi was inspired by the melodic vibrations of strings placed in rice fields to scare birds away from the crops. The instrument often features a human figure carved at the top, symbolizing an ancestral spirit.

Toba, circa 1990
Batak Musical Instrument
Material: Hand-carved wood, metal string and detail brass ornaments
Dimension: 92 x 11 x 9 cm