The Sepik people's rich and unique spirituality draws from the powerful mystery of their natural surroundings, and the objects they create are insights into these beliefs. The headrest is imbued with an especially significant spiritual association because of its relationship with the mysticism of sleep. Sleep was viewed as the most intimate interaction with the spirit realm, therefore the decoration on these ancient pillows is especially intertwined with Sepik spirituality.

The primitive crocodilian carving on the sides is a direct reflection of this spirituality. Crocodiles feature prominently in the legends and rites of passage of various Sepik tribes, as the river is one of the most densely populated crocodile habitats in the world. Stories vary among the hundreds of villages, but there is a common belief that the men have descended from crocodiles, and return to this powerful state through a ritual scarring process that emulates the raised bumps of crocodile skin.

The ritual begins with a period of isolation in the Spirit Houses, during which the men are not allowed to visit women or other family members. After a month, they are deemed ready for scarring and their transition, not into manhood - but into crocodiles. The scars are cut deeply into the skin with bamboo rods, and the blood spilt is representative of the mother’s blood leaving the man’s body, purifying him and releasing the weakness of female association.