The nguzunguzu, called musumusu in Marovo and sometimes toto isu, is the carved head-and-shoulders figure lashed at the waterline of the prow of the tomoko war and headhunting canoe. It was understood to embody a guardian presence that watched the water ahead, protected the crew, and warded off the sea-spirit Kesoko so that it could not cross the bow and undo the expedition. Some figures hold a small head between their hands, associating the guardian with the success of headhunting; others hold a frigatebird. Sources differ on whether the figurehead represents a specific protective spirit, a generic guardian ancestor, or a marine being set against Kesoko.