The ''nguzu nguzu'' (sometimes called a ''musu musu'' or ''toto isu'') is the traditional

figurehead In politics, a figurehead is a person who ''de jure'' (in name or by law) appears to hold an important and often supremely powerful title or office, yet ''de facto'' (in reality) exercises little to no actual power. This usually means that they ...

which was formerly affixed to

canoe A canoe is a lightweight narrow water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using a single-bladed paddle. In British English, the ter ...

s in the

Solomon Islands Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capit ...

. It was attached to the canoe's

prow The bow () is the forward part of the hull of a ship or boat, the point that is usually most forward when the vessel is underway. The aft end of the boat is the stern. Prow may be used as a synonym for bow or it may mean the forward-most part ...

at the waterline, and was held to provide supernatural protection during expeditions. ''Nguzu nguzus'' typically depict bust-length figures with large heads, small arms, and circular ear ornaments; the hands are raised to the figure's chin, sometimes clasping either another head or a bird. Their jutting jaws were traditionally held to be an attribute of spirits.Canoe Figurehead (''Nguzu Nguzu'', ''Musu Musu'', or ''Toto Isu''), late 19th–early 20th century
at the

Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. The main building at 1000 ...

References

Shipbuilding Nautical terminology Culture of the Solomon Islands {{Solomons-stub