MAMULI EARRING/NECKLACE

The mamuli is a traditional amulet from Sumba, and a gold mamuli would only be worn by Sumbanese nobility. It is worn differently from place to place: the people of West Sumba wear it as earrings, while in East Sumba, it is part of a necklace. According to social custom, the mamuli plays a role in ceremonial events, but also serves as a burial gift. The motif on the mamuli determines its function: a plain piece serving as a wedding dowry in Lalui, West Sumba, a mamuli depicting the adung (tree of life) is only used by the aristocracy, and those with human motifs is considered as sacred objects. Nowadays, in Lalui and Anakalang, maluli are worn by traditional female dancers.