Hasapi Single Coin

Hasapi is a traditional two-stringed lute of the Toba Batak people of North Sumatra, carved from a single piece of wood with a slender, boat-shaped body and fretless neck, and typically tuned to intervals such as a minor or major third. Played by plucking, it was historically used in religious ceremonies and courtship rituals and remains an essential part of the uning-uningan ensemble today. According to legend, its sound was inspired by the vibrations of strings stretched across rice fields to scare birds away. Many examples feature a carved human figure at the top, symbolizing an ancestral spirit. Some decorated hasapi include coins from the Dutch East Indies (Nederlandsche Indië) period, but these are later ornamental additions and generally indicate more recent production.

Toba, circa 1970
Batak Musical Instrument
Material: Hand-carved wood, metal string and Dutch East Indies coin
Dimension: 62,5 x 10 x 7 cm
Condition: Perfect

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