In Sumba, as in many parts of Indonesia, textiles represent one of the most significant art forms. The most fully developed textile tradition existed in the east of the island where textiles were made to fulfil ritual, ceremonial and everyday functions. One of the most distinctive Sumbanese cloths is the hinggi (man's shawl), a very large cloth decorated with bold designs in a warp ikat. Usually a pair is made; one is worn as a sarong, while the other is folded over the shoulder as a long scarf or used as a shawl.

This cloth is decorated with a design of 'archaic' human figures with a supplementary star pattern suggestive of the patola design. It is designed in accordance with the idea that a person is able to acquire special powers and qualities of the images depicted on the cloth. The motifs are rendered in large scale, a stylistic tendency which suggests that this textile dates to the mid-1970's.

Asian Art Department, AGNSW, April 2016.