Batak carvers kept a variety of statues (pagar) intended to prevent evil. Pagar can be thought of as supra-sentinels, forces to detect and fend off intruders or neutralize black magic. The Batak excelled at carving in minutiae, but wooden figures in the round are usually crude. This statue is a notable exception, with outreaching oversized hands, vigilant all-seeing eyes, and a ready-for-action stance. Such a timeless projection of power is a reminder that every age and culture cultivates imagery to engender protection.

This is the largest of a trio of figures from one house that were possibly made by the same hand. The other two are held by the Dallas Museum of Art and were charged with a substance called puk-puk to empower them with life force and to make them subservient to a ritual priest (datu). It is not entirely clear how this impressive pagar was used. Although it lacks the addition of puk-puk, there is evidence that this figure has been ritually fed and anointed and is most likely a pagar.