This hand-hewn triangular tray in the shape of a boat is similar to the 'ship of the dead', which is believed to carry the souls of the newly deceased to the land of their ancestors.A wide array of wooden bowls and trays are used in Mentawai. This tray is known as the 'lulak'. Along with pedestals and bowls, wooden trays are used for rituals and during important ceremonies. Some are also used as food trays.The Mentawai also known as Mentawei and Mentawi are the native people of the Mentawai islands located in the Indian Ocean in West Sumatra. The islands consist of Siberut, Sipora as well as, North and South Pagai. The Mentawai, whose roots can be traced to the Neolithic period, live a semi-nomadic, hunter-gatherer lifestyle, characterised by animistic beliefs.
