These weird guys are Hentakoi which I believe are from the Nicobar Islands. Hentakoi are wooden figures or boards commissioned by a menluana (doctor-priest) to identify and neutralise spirits responsible for illness or misfortune. In this way they help reassure people that action is being taken to help them. Hentakoi are usually installed in the home but some kinds are placed outside to ward off evil or to promote abundance. Those that work are kept effective through regular rituals, but those that do not may be thrown away. Some hentakoi are naturalistic, others combine different animals, or appear part human. They are often painted in vivid colours.
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