Distinct from various versions of ancestor figures from the greater Moluccas, this seated female figure (yene/iene) holding an offering plate or bowl is a classic statuette from Leti Island. Judging by her refinement, overall execution, posture, and telltale articulated spine, it is evident that this particular ancestor figure is exceptionally old. From its soft, varied, and luminous surface, it appears to have been carved or finished using non-metal tools. 

This icon would have been kept in an east-facing area in the rafters of a traditional house where, along with other yene, it would have been situated around a larger image of the clan's founding father. Through supplication, handling, and prayers — the spirit of that particular ancestor could temporarily return and, through the medium of this statue, connect with the living to advise and guide its descendants in making crucial decisions.

This statue is a petite masterpiece of the genre. It is as venerable as any that we have ever seen and allows us to experience the art of Leti in its purest, most beautiful form. Whether it is how the face is rendered, the topknot and accouterments, the relationship between its component parts, or the graceful way in which the legs wrap around the statue's base, this yene is a consummate jewel. The previous owner is a renowned collector of sublime Polynesian material. He remarked that the sheer antiquity of this statue (that, to him, made it feel "pre-contact"), coupled with her communicative spirit, harmonious volumes, and integration of forms, reminded him of Polynesian goddess figures. We concur.