Horses are royal symbols and are the most costly and desirable component of the gift exchanges that accompany marriage in east Sumba. When a daughter marries a man from another village, her sisters typically marry into the same village. These women are said to be like shrimp caught by a single sweep of the net. The kandunu star is symbolic of the power and responsibilities of a king. The circular images represent the sun and the moon.
Crocodiles are a symbol of bravery and transformation and are associated with the afterlife.
The feline mahan represents power and courage. Horses are royal and are the most costly component of the gift exchanges that accompany marriage. Between all the rampant images is the sceptre-like walamanggata . This means, life will be easy if you fulfill your promises without deviation. The supplementary pattern in the white section represents thousands of baby fresh-water crabs in an irrigation stream.