Twin Portrait Tongkonan Wooden Painting

This wooden carving painting of a Tongkonan, the traditional house of Toraja in South Sulawesi, beautifully conveys the deep symbolism and cultural heritage of the structure. The Tongkonan’s unique roof design, resembling an inverted boat, ties back to the Torajan legend of their ancestors arriving by sea. Adorned with four symbolic colors-black for death, red for life, yellow for divine blessings, and white for purity-the house reflects the beliefs and traditions of the Torajan people. Additionally, the buffalo horn statues, signifying strength and status, alongside the chicken head statues, which denote the homeowner’s elder status within the village, add to the profound spiritual and social significance of this remarkable structure.

Toraja, circa 1970
Material: Woodcarving and Paint
Size: 33 x 19,5 x 1 cm