On the island of Nias, wooden images known as ‘adu’ are believed to provide a medium between the human world and that of the spirits, ancestors and gods. While female ‘adu’ sculptures do occur, they appear to be less prevalent than depictions of male ancestors and deities in hermaphroditic form, especially those depicting pregnant women. Among Nias societies, birth is considered a sacred and potentially dangerous act that takes place under the influence of deities and ancestors. With its prominent genitalia and rounded abdomen the figure may represent an ancestor who died with child or during labour. The absence of accoutrements associated with nobility may indicate the common status of the individual depicted. It is also possible, however, that the figure does not represent an ancestor but was a device to aid childbirth.