New Aquistion by Richard Harris.
This is not a part of the Exhibition:”Morbid Curiosity: Richard Harris Collection”..
Wikipedia informs.. Tau Tau, click here..
Tau tau are a type of effigy made of wood or bamboo. They are particular to the Toraja ethnic group in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The word “tau” is a Torajan word meaning “man”, and “tau tau” meaning “men” or “statue”.
Tau tau are believed to have originated in the 19th century. They were once produced only for the wealthy, to reflect the status and wealth of the deceased. The tau tau are representatives of the deceased, ever-guarding the tombs and ever-protecting the living. In the early 1900s, with the arrival of the Dutch Christian missionaries in Toraja, the production of tau tau was somewhat dampened. In 1972, at least 400 visitors attended the funeral ritual of Puang of Sangalla, the highest-ranking nobleman in Tana Toraja and the last pure-blooded Toraja noble. The event was documented by National Geographic and was broadcasted in several European countries.