Headrest, Tonga

In Tonga, the head was the most tapu, or sacred, part of the body, and when asleep it was appropriate to rest one’s head on a carefully made headrest, or kali. There are several forms of kali, all of which demonstrate the elegance and economy of form characteristic of Tongan sculpture. Carved from a single piece of wood, this headrest is of the kali hahapo type, which achieves a graceful architectural quality, with the concave “pillow” seemingly suspended between the bowed curves of the legs.