A Squatting Leti Figure made from teak wood, Leti Islands, Moluccas, Indonesia, Throughout the islands of Maluku Tenggara in eastern Indonesia, ancestor images indicated important links between the living and the dead. Small seated ancestor figures depicted deceased family members and were kept and used within the home. Leti had castes. The higher the caste the more elaborate the ancestor sculpture. On Leti, the pose of yene indicated the gender and status of the deceased. Male ancestors were shown seated with the legs drawn in to the body, and female ancestors were depicted with the legs crossed. I don't know the specific meaning of the bird (a clan symbol?) on his head. Incredible nice old honey coloured patina of the old wood makes it a beautiful collectors item! It has some cracks surface discoloring etc but this are real signs of time....