Baca PDF (OCR): The voice of the spirits : indigenous art of Indonesia

VOICE
OF THE
SPIRITS
Indigenous Art
of Indonesia
Boston College
Art Gallery

THE
VOICE
OF THE SPIRITS
Indigenous Art
of Indonesia
curated by
Andrew Tavarelli
Boston College
Art Gallery
October 2—December1,1989

is to memory of
Marianne W. whose

PREFACE

I on a
month journey through
It was a beyond
I was omnivorous
photographs. I
a my itch
on this was
itch.
Asa I in
An would have
it The
is
The Spirits is in
work in1I
clarity, a
spirit is my
it my light.
Many made this
I would like them all. I would first
like Rodger Dashow his
his in this
his
art He
It was Rodger who
me most
art. I my
this spirit whose con-
The generous works from
Karob Peabody Museum
this
tion. I
Peabody Museum
est Honey
Gallery
and which
made actuality. They
my My
Wolf
I
Academic Vice-President and
1
The rich Indonesian textile tradition of ikat weaving and batik
deserves its own exhibition and has not been included.

1. Magic staff, tunggal panaluan, Toba Batak, wood, hair, feathers, 78"H, Karob Collection

2. Toba

Dashow

THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE
Indonesia is a necklace ot over 13,000 islands
draped along 5000 kilometers ot the equator. A
saw-toothed spine of volcanic peaks cut the larger
islands into tracts of dense jungle, swamp, arid
wasteland and forests of spices and exotic woods.
Wet rice terraces sculpt the hills; pastures and tilled
fields interlock the ragged geometry of the flatter
lands and along with cities and villages mark the
peoples’ attempt to imprint their needs on the land.
Over half of the islands are inhabited. Although
many of the people have roots in the Western
Austronesian language family and appear to share
a common archaeological history, the diversity ot
the ethnic groups is more evident. Many factors
contributed to the richness and complexity of the
larger cultural picture. Early trade routes through
the archipelago brought contact with China and
India and made inter-island exchange common-
place. The influx of Hindu, Buddhist, and Islamic
peoples suffused the foundation of early animist
belief which supported the indigenous peoples. As
early as the 16th century clashes with European
colonial ambition (the Dutch in particular) and
contact in the 19th century with missionaries, fur-
ther impacted on this mosaic of archaic societies.
The ability of the original societies to maintain
their essential shape into this century is a remark-
able testament to their integrity, resilience and iso-
lation. Modern times have been less forgiving.
World War II, tribal warfare, the attempt to sup-
press cultural differences in the interest of political
unification and the exploitation of natural re-
sources are causing rapid disintegration of the fab-
ric of traditional life. Still, a traveler encounters
life Among
Asmat of Irian Jaya,
Dayak in
in
Timor Sumba
a vital spirits
spirits
is rise
art which is
spirit.
THE HEART OF THE MATTER
The belief in ancestor spirits is widespread
throughout Indonesia. The ancestors’ names,
deeds and demands might vary with the region
but their omnipresence is a constant. Ancestors are
engaged in all aspects of tribal life. To insure a pro-
pitious unfolding ofevents, these spirits must be spo-
ken to. The tribal craftsmen create the visual med-
ium through which the voices can be passed and
mutually understood by the entire community.
The concept of adat,or the way of the ancestors,
is essential to an understanding of art and how it
functions in village life. The adat passed down
,
orally through successive generations, is viewed as
the voice of the ancestors and the powers that be.
It provides a cosmology and a prescription tor
behavior. It sets forth rules for social interchange,
and justifies hierarchical structure and political or-
ganization. The rituals performed at weddings,
feasts, births, funerals, agricultural rites and battle
are governed by adat. Art, as the repository and
carrier of cultural traditions, accompanies these
events. Its form, function and the process by
which it is made are thus designated by the ances-
tors.

priests to store their paraphenalia of charms, po-
tions and magic substances, it is made from a
buffalo horn with a carved wood stopper. The
head is a singa carved in archaic style, simple yet
not overly stylized. Later styles have interlaced
figures carved along the back of the singa and
curvilinear embellishments. The particular beauty
of the magic horn in the exhibition is in the haunt-
ing human visage of the singa. The natural curve
and sweep ot the horn brings our attention to rest
on the fixed serenity of the singa’s head.
TORAJA

3) power a

is in
They
who this The
a stratified a
a common class. As a this
extends art
BATAK
The Batak occupy the lands of North Sumatra in
and around the vicinity of Lake Toba. Samosir
Island, in Lake Toba, is believed to be the home
of the ancestors of the Toba Batak who consider
themselves to be the original Batak tribal group.
The Batak are divided into Pak-Pak, Toba, Karo,
Angkola, Mandating and Simalungung sub-
groups. The early missionaries found them to be
a fierce, warlike peoples who practiced cannibal-
ism but also developed a complex hierarchical so-
ciety. They were known for their elaborate houses
which symbolized the structure of the cosmos.
The Batak cultures had a rich mythology. They
developed a written language whose letters were
derived from Sanskrit, a complex numerology and
a system ot magic as evidenced in the Batak book
of magic in this exhibition.
The magic wand, tunggal panaluan, (ill.1),carved
trom the hard wood ot a thorn tree, was used by
a datu,or magician/priest, in performing the rites
through which he spoke to ancestral spirits. From
them he sought advice on governing, warfare and
rain-making. With the wand he cast spells con-
trolling sickness and death, and sought informa-
tion on thievery and other wrongdoings. The
spirit ot the staff was impregnated with life-force
created by the insertion of a magic substance into
a crevice of the wand. The pukpuk, as the sub-
stance was called, was made trom the brain matter
of a victim whose spirit was thus transferred to
the wand.
The Batak excelled at working in miniature. This
wand is an exceptional example ot a form typical
ot the Toba area. Human figures and beasts are
entwined along the staff. A naga, the serpent who
supports the world, slithers down the spine. A
large figure, the legendary datu, Si Borong Borong
sits astride the Sittga, a mythical beast at the top
of the totem-like stacking. The headdress of hu-
man hair, horse hair and cock feathers is bound
with faded white, black and red fabric, colors sym-
bolically significant for the Batak. The wand is
sensitively carved with smooth transitions that
soften the angularity ot the forms. Its full, rounded
proportions and light honey-red patina give it a
beauty and sensuousness which complements its
otherwise frightening visual presence. It is an in-
strument of great power.
The sahatt, or magic horn (ill.2)is a fitting ac-
companiment to the wand. Used by the datu/
A is affair in
a placed
a, effigy, a feast. Many
asiatic
rificed on is
a
for feast
The They
a line
form
The rise The
who as is-
in
in at-
is to site in
rivers. The in
good
is a
in
art.
Doors a on
from Rembon
(ill. art at its best. It
The a symbol
status, fills
The horns
in a circle and

*
1

/

all image of the life is As with other people bound to the cosmic circle,
The there is an intensely creative aspect to their life.
from They excel at woodcarving and have produced
axis. The ears, some of the more powerful images in all of In-
in a donesia. In their creation myth, Fumerpitsj the
as become tree. master carver, fashioned the first Asmat from a
The is tree. The identity of a person with a tree is crucial.
which power of All boys learn to carve the utilitarian objects nec-
symmetry of essary for daily life. Those who excel become the
wow ipits, the artist carvers called upon to make
a the shields and ancestor poles associated with spe-
(ill.4), cial events.
sition on a
Only were permitted Shields are made to protect the owner (literally
human The is and spiritually), to terrify the enemy, and honor
a prow which recalls an ancestor. The powerful shield (ill.5)carved in
by The relief from a single plank of wood is large with a
power pointed top and flat bottom typical of those found
by in the Brazza river area. The face of the ancestor
for whom the shield is named appears at the top.
affect is in a The abstracted imagery on the body of the shield
artistic appears to be two figures in a mirrored arrange-
a a to from ment. Other interpretations linking the symbols
a to specific natural forms are also possible. The
shield is painted with the three colors used by the
Asmat: red, wrhite, and black which have mean-
ASMAT
ings associated with head hunting symbols.
The Asmat in swamps

Irian The tidalThe drum (ill.6)is made by a difficult process
asinvolving the use of a digging stick and hot coals
is live com-to bore out the core ofa tree. The outside is shaped
munal above and carved using shells, bone and simple metal
floor. is difficult tools, and finally capped with lizard skin bound
on with rattan and blood. The hour glass form of the
Of Asmat drum is typical, but here it is gracefully sloped and
comewell proportioned. The carved handle representing
a praying mantis with an ancestor’s head sensi-
Animism, in spirits, tively enfolds the drum. The surface of the drum
fullest is covered in low relief with symbols from the
among Nothing natural world.
a spirit
which Asmat make—
DAYAK
drums and masks—is named whose
spirit The Dayak people dwell in the interior of the large
island of Borneo; in the Indonesian sector desig-
The Asmat nated as Kalimantan and in the region of Sarawak,
They East Maylasia. Dayak is an umbrella grouping
this which covers a multitude of tribal societies includ-
rituals In noing the major subdivisions of Iban and Kayan
by as a Kenya. Customs, beliefs and village organization
is by a spiritvary from area to area. Some practices are shared,
spirit must including rice cultivation and living in communal
long houses. Most Dayak believe in the dual nature
of the human soul. One aspect dies with the dis-

4. a prow,

wood

5. Shield, Asmat, carved and painted wood 76"H, Peabody Museum of Salem

6. Drum, Asmat, carved wood, lizard skin, rattan, 24"H, Karob Collection

integration of the body; the other remains in the
village of the deceased until it ventures to the Land
of Souls where it may become deified.
2
A recurring motif of the Kayan/Kenya is the aso
a mythical dog-dragon who serves as a protective
spirit. The aso also identified with deified ances-
tors, is an elastic visual image which is often trans-
formed into startling anthropomorphic designs.
The Kenya/Kayan shield (ill.7)belonged to a
warrior indicated by the anthropomorphic image
painted on its front. Like the Toraja, the use of
human or humanly derived images are prohibited
to the lower born. The shield exemplifies the
lively, sinuous design found in the ornamentation
on long houses, textiles and utilitarian objects
which is indicative of the Dayak. This decorative
sense, coupled with a fierce expressiveness, is un-
paralleled in the archipelago. The central image is
framed with rows of human hair taken from the
victims of its owner. The pointed ends are typical
of the form. The reverse side of the shield is dec-
orated with painted motifs derived from the image
of the aso.
For agricultural peoples, harvests are special events
marked with festivals. This mask, hudoq, of Apo/
Kayan origin (ill.8)was used to celebrate the rice
harvest and to promote fertility. Originally worn
with a headdress of hornbill feathers mounted over
the ridge at the top of the mask, it was part of a
total body costume made of straw and grasses.
The participants entered the village from the sur-
rounding forest, dressed as protective nature spirits
and represented the ancestors’ return to commu-
nity life. 3 The visage of this fantastic carnivore is
enlivened by the inventive shape of the ears,
painted designs and rows of teeth. The long ear-
rings recall the practice of stretching the ear lobes
for beautification. When not in use, these masks
were stored in the houses and sometimes repainted
before being used again.

p. 242.

NIAS
Nias lies in the Indian Ocean off the coast of West
Sumatra. The nobility of Nias link their ancestry
to Hia, a deity of the sky and a central figure m
their creation myth. The demarkation between no-
bles and common people was clearly drawn in pre-
modem times. The association of nobility with
deity finds expression in the art forms and archi-
tecture of these people. There is an ancient mega-
lithic tradition of stone carving. Stone thrones (osa
osa), figurative ancestor sculpture, and stone
totem-like pillars(behu)can still be seen in situ in
the hills and archaic villages.
Chiefs’ houses are elaborate and beautiful construc-
tions, ornamented with lavish carving, painted
motifs, decorative panels and ancestor sculptures.
The plan of the house is identified with the dual-
istic structure of the cosmos and contains many
references to male/temale symbolism, deities,
ancestors and the spirits of nature.
Ancestor sculptures (ill.9)were always placed in
a revered position in a house and considered to
have protective power. In the exhibited piece the
angle and proportion of the neck and head which
support the crown contribute to the dignity of the
figure. The crown, tiered like the cosmic tree, and
the braided necklace indicate a high ranking per-
son. The earring is in the right ear as was the
custom for males at the time. These accoutrements
of the nobility are carved on the figure as they
were considered to be in the permanent order of
things. The figure is seated on a stool which ele-
vates him from the ground and holds a cup, into
which offerings are placed. The sculpture has a
rich, varied patina and is sensitively carved.
The slender tip of this Mentawei shield (cover ill.)
relates it to the form of Nias shields.
4 It differs in
the flattened top and graceful vase shape. The
rounded knob near the center, and the exquisite
painted spirals set it apart from the clunkier Nias
shields with flattened knobs and unpainted sur-
faces. This is a rare piece of exceptional beauty.
2This is referred to E. in
significance Ancestors in the Arts
Eloquent editedJ.
'
Islands Paul Barbier
4
This shield is listed at the as been
collected in Nias. A consideration its characterists in discus-
sion Steven Alpert led to the specific
attribution.

7. Shield, Kcnya/Kayan, painted wood, human hair, 46"H, Peabody Museum of Salem

8.

THE ATTRACTION
There is much here for both the atficionado and
the viewer who comes upon this work for the first
time. All the work is authentic; it was created tor
use without a glance to an audience beyond the
village culture and its ancestors.
Some residue of the necessity which impelled these
forms to be created remains in the objects. Some-
thing of the directness and immediacy ot the mak-
ing is fused with the piece. The essential core of
belief ot a culture travels through the hands of the
maker and lodges in the heart ot the wood. These
qualities inform the object with a visual intensity
that seizes the eye and tells us with a basic certainty
that here is art capable ot carrying meaning. Al-
though the specific symbols and functions of these
objects may elude us, it is this primal recognition
which reaffirms our humanity and connects us to
these people we have never met. Living as we do,
insulated by our media trom the raw data of ex-
perience, divorced trom the natural world, we are
hungry for the directness and connectedness of-
fered us by indigenous art. Preoccupied as we
are with concepts ot appropriation and the prob-
lematic search tor meaning in our own art, we
find these exotic objects spellbinding in their
authenticity.
ANDREW TAVARELLI

wood
Dashow

9. Ancestor figure, Nias, 42"H, Private Collection

EXHIBITION LIST
BATAK OF SUMATRA
Magic staff, tunggal pananluan,
Toba, wood, hair, feathers, 78"H,
Karob Collection
Magic staff, tungkot malehat, Karo,
wood, hair, feathers, 60"H, Rodger
Dashow Coll.
Magic book, pustaha, carved wood,
palm paper, 5 V₂ X4"X 1 Karob
Collection
Magic book, pustaha, carved wood,
palm paper, 5 Vi" X4"X l 3//', Ka-
rob Collection
Mask, carved wood, painted eyes,
13"H, Private Collection
Magic horn, sahan,Toba, horn &
wood, 18"L, Rodger Dashow Col-
lection
Datu’s suit, wood, feathers, horn-
bill, 54"H, Rodger Dashow Collec-
tion
House gable mask, jorngom, carved
and painted wood, 43"H, Rodger
Dashow Collection
Containers, wood, 6"-10"H,
Rodger Dashow Collection
Chief’s bed, carved and painted
wood, 96"L, Rodger Dashow Col-
lection
Figure, pagar, wood (formerly had
hair and arms attached) 16"H,
Rodger Dashow Collection
Canoe prow, wood, 15"H X
28" x 8", Rodger Dashow Collec-
tion
Shield, painted and carved wood,
76"H, Peabody Museum of Salem
Paddle, wood, 96"L, Rodger
Dashow Collection
Spear, wood cassowary bone,
feathers, 96"L, Rodger Dashow
Collection
Yeh, Dani tribe of Beliem valley,
Irian Jaya, stone, feathers, shell,
string, 35"H, Rodger Dashow
Collection
DAYAK OF BORNEO
Mask, Kayan or Bahau, wood
11"H, Private Collection
Post figure, hampatong,Bahau,
wood 45"H, Karob Collection
Post figure, hampatong, Bahau,
wood 45!/2"H, Karob Collection
Baby carrier, Kenyah, 12'A" X 15"
carved wood, shell, Karob
Collection
Shield, bamboo, light wood, rat-
tan 243/V'H, Peabody Museum of
Salem
Mask, Apo-Kayan, carved &
painted wood with metal earrings,
19"H, Rodger Dashow Collection
Coffin head, Kayan-Kenyah,
wood 22 x 23 x20, Rodger
Dashow Collection
Post figure, hampatong, wood,
56"H, Rodger Dashow Collection
Shaman box with carved figures,
wood, beads, 7"D, Rodger
Dashow Collection
Small charms, carved wood fig-
ures, 2"-8"H, Rodger Dashow
Collection
21"
Beaded vest, beads and fabric
X 16", Rodger Dashow Col-
lection
Pig sticks, tuntun, Iban, wood,
20"H, Rodger Dashow Collection
Shield, Kayan, painted wood, hu-
man hair, 46", Peabody Museum
of Salem.

NIAS
Ancestor figure, Nias, wood
42"H, Private Collection
Shield, Mentawei, painted wood,
40"H, Peabody Museum of Salem
TIMOR
House door, wood, 453/*"x 22", H,
Karob Collection
Mask, wood, lO'/V'H, Rodger
Dashow Collection
Figure, wood, 9"H, Karob
Collection
Whip, wood, leather, bead inlay,
10"H, Rodger Dashow Collection
Spoon, wood, coconut shell, 12"L,
Rodger Dashow Collection
SUMBA
Figure, wood, 20"H, Private
Collection
Box, wood,5"x6"x IV2",
Rodger Dashow Collection
FLORES
Male & female figures,
Private
wood &
hair, 36"H, 34"H, Collection
SULAWESI
Door, Toraja, wood,25" X 19",
Private Collection
Figure astride a prow, Toraja,
carved and painted wood, 46"H,
Private Collection
Shield, wood, goat hair, shell
45'/2"H, Peabody Museum of
Salem
Shield, wood with shell inlay,
31 W'H, Peabody Museum of
Salem
Funeral effigy, tau tau, Toraja,
32"H, Rodger Dashow Collection
ASMAT OF IRIAN JAYA
carved lizard skin,
rattan 24"H,
carved lizard skin,
rattan, 58"H,
Collection
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Barbier, Jean Paul and Newton,
Douglas, Islands and Ancestors, Met-
ropolitan Museum of Art 1988
Barbier, Jean Paul, Indonesian Prim-
itive Art, Dallas Museum of Art
Feldman, Jerome, The Eloquent
Dead, UCLA Museum of Cultural
History 1985
Hasibuan, Jamaluddins, Batak Art
and Culture, Yayasan, K.J.M.,
Medan Indonesia 1982
Schneebaum, Tobias, Astnat Images,
Asmat Museum of Culture and
Progress 1985
Produced by the Boston College
Office of Communications
Photographs by:
David Caras
Gary Gilbert
Stuart Rome
Mark Sexton

(617) 552-8587

First
Hill, MA