Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Slide Images for September 2

 Padung-Padung Ear Pendants
Nothern Sumatra
c. 19th-Early 20th Century

 Tombstone of the Raja of Anakalang
West Sumba
c. 18th-19th Century

Hinggi (man's shawl) With Crayfish and ‘Coat of Arms' Design
East Sumba
c. 1970

 Ship Cloth (Tampan)
Lampung, Indonesia
Late 19th Century



Women’s Tatoos
Kayan and Kenyah Cultures, Borneo
Contemporary


 Women’s Tatoos
Kayan and Kenyah Cultures, Borneo
Late 19th Century

 Sepik Face Mask
Papua New Guinea
c. 18th-19th Century

 Ceremonial Ancestor Mask
Papua New Guinea
c. 1900-1950

Hudo’urung (Wild Boar Mask)
East Kalimantan

Terms of the Day for September 2


  • Symmetry – the quality of being made up of exactly similar parts facing each other or around an axis.
  • Padung-Padung– (peh-DANG peh-DANG) Sumatran traditional earrings made of folded silver wire shaped to resemble both male and female genitalia.  They symbolize the shifting power relations between a husband and wife.
  • Hinggi Cloth– (hen-GHEE) a traditional Indonesian cloth, generally worn by men, whose patterning is thought to be representative of social, religious, and political structures within village life.

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Slide Images for August 31

Kenyalang
Sarawak, Maylasia
Early 20th century
 
 Pua Kumbu
Unknown Iban Weaver
19th century

 Ceremonial Tampan
Sumatra
c. 19th-early 20th century

 Ceremonial Tampan
Sumatra
19th century

 Traditional House
Tana Toraja, Sulawesi
Contemporary

 Adu Zatua Ancestor Figure
Nias
19th Century

 Tau-Tau Figure
Unknown Torajan Carver
1879



Mortuary effigies (tau-tau) 
Tau-tau efficies representing high-ranking deceased on display in vaults and a stone cliff.

Terms of the Day for August 31


  • Motif – A decorative design or pattern or distinctive feature or dominant idea in an artistic or literary composition
  • Kenyalang – a traditional carved and painted wooden figure representing a hornbill.  In Southeast Asian cultures, the hornbill is emblematic of the upper realm, masculinity, and warrior skill.
  • Pua Kumbu – (poo-AH koom-BOO) a traditional patterned multicolored ceremonial cotton cloth used by the Iban culture, made and used in Sarawak, Malaysia. They are woven by women and are considered to be sacred objects. They are used for lifecycle rituals, special events, and funerals.
  • Tampan – a small, rectangular cloth used in areas of Southern Sumatra in Indonesia usually designed using a ship motif. They were used in transitional ceremonies, such as weddings, births, and funerals; the ship is said to signify transition and act as security during these transitory times.
  • Adu Zatua – (AH-doo SAHT-yoo) a wooden figure representing an ancestor.  The adu zatua is usually carved upon the death of the individual and emphasizes the person’s rank in society.
  • Tau-tau – meaning “man-statue”, a type of effigy made of wood or bamboo.  The effigy represents a deceased loved one and is clothed and maintained in memory of the deceased.