Figure used to ward of malevolent spirits

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Figure used to ward of malevolent spirits. Wellcome Collection. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). Source: Wellcome Collection.

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This carved and painted 'scare-devil', or 'kareau' figure, is from the Nicobar Islands. It was made by a menluana, a ritual specialist or healer who communicated with the spirit world, and was set up outside a sick person's house in order to scare and drive away the bad spirits thought to becausing the disease.

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