Neckrest, Tonga

David N. DeRoche, Piedmont, California
Acquired from the above on May 20, 2007

In Tonga, the head was the most tapu, or sacred, part of the body, and in sleep, 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.