This cotton hinggi, a traditional man's mantle, originates from East Sumba, Indonesia, and dates to the early 20th century. Measuring approximately 45 inches by 88 inches (114 cm x 224 cm), the textile was crafted using the labor-intensive warp-ikat technique. This specific piece carries a distinguished provenance, having been part of an old Canadian Dutch family collection. As is traditional for these prestigious garments, it is constructed from two identical panels woven on a backstrap loom and joined with a vertical center seam.

The iconography is densely packed and arranged in multiple horizontal bands, a layout that mirrors the tiered spiritual cosmology of the Sumbanese people. The design is dominated by anthropomorphic figures, likely representing ancestors or guardian spirits, rendered in a warm palette of cream and rust-red against a deep indigo-black ground. The lower half of the textile features a series of large, crouching figures with prominent facial features and stylized limbs, while the upper sections transition into more geometric and abstract ancestral forms. The use of natural dyes—indigo for the dark fields and kombu (noni root) for the reddish-browns—has resulted in a rich, enduring coloration that remains vibrant despite the textile's age.

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