Architecture of South Sumatera Traditional House

Palembang architecture

Traditional architecture is usually built according to and following the norms inherited by their ancestors and followed by the local society.

Beside pile-houses, where living-rooms are over the ground-surface, and the space under the houses is for keeping tools and animals, other characteristics of the traditional building of South Sumatra (Palembang) are the differing heights of the floors.

The part with the highest floor at once indicates also the most important part. The house can be observed as being divided into 3 parts, namely the front-veranda in the front, the middle part and the rear-veranda, which are successively functioning as follows:
The front veranda for the guests and the sons, the centre is for the parents and room for the brides or for prominent guests, and the rear-veranda for the girls and the kitchen.

The parents are the most respected persons, therefore the highest place for them. A limasan roof covers the middle part, which is drawn forward and backward to covering the front and the rear-veranda, shapes the monumental form of the house.

The shape formed by the extension of the roof, confirms the concept of room-hierarchy inside the building.

As the traditional houses in other areas especially of the classic style, art elements are never forgotten, particularly in religious buildings, palaces and houses of nobles. The art elements not only function as decoration to beautify the building, but also bear symbolic meanings. Even social status factors are reflected inside.

Thus the case we observed on buildings in South Sumatra which are full of wood carving with golden colours. Chinese motives and European motives are blended in one with traditional motives, which further gave the birth of Pelembang characteristic motives.

Like most of the traditional buildings in Sumatra, the traditional house or adapt-house in South Sumatra shows characteristics of timber buildings with pole construction, i.e. house built on poles with space under the floor.

Building material is mostly lasting timber as the tembesu wood (Lat, Fragraca), the tenam (Anisoptera) or the seru (Schima bancana) which are usually utilized as mast, cross-bar, rib, frame and partition board. As roof they commonly use bamboo or gelumpai with palm fibre layers.

Based on the shape of the roof the traditional houses in South Sumatra are classified into the limas an (pyramidal) – type and the tatahan (encrusted) type. Viewed from the front, the limas an type has the shape of a pyramid. The tatahan type has a Minangkabau-styled shape of its roof, i.e. a pointed roof-ridge and a bent down roof-centre.

The volume and size of the house depend on the social status of the inhabitant. This can also be identified through the quantity of the interior decoration of the house.

As the case in the traditional house of Riau and Jambi, the ground plant of the house shows some divisions. The most front is the front-veranda introduced by the house-ladder. From the front-veranda we enter the men’s hall (jogan) and further to the main-room (kekijing). Behind the main0room there is the rear veranda (garang) with the kitchen. The floor of each room differs from the others, it means that the front part has a low floor and the main room has the highest floor.

Of the South Sumatra’s traditional house, its interior decoration is quite attractive. This decoration has the form of wood carving with a so called see-through transparent carving technique bearing plant motives as sunflower, bamboo shoot, etc.

Decoration art in a Palembang traditional house is an integration of elements of Javanese and Chinese arts. Wood carving decoration combined with contrast colours like gold-coating and red lac (lak).

Floor as sitting place with rug-underlayer, back-cushionsiopes with stars-motive.

Palembang Songket Handwoven Textile

Traditional weaving Tools

The songket-weaving is a traditional craft work. It has been known already since the Sriwijaya period. The materials utilized are usually gold and silk yarns. The original characteristics of Palembang songket can be detected by observing the motives on those textiles. According to the applied decorative motives and their designs, the motives reflects roses, chained stars, waves and bamboo-shoots. Several names of songket weaving are known as Songket Lepus, Songket Naga Berdaung, Songket Bunga jatuh, Songket Bunga Cina, Songket Bertabut, Songket janda berhias, etc.

Demonstration of the technique to use the weaving tools

The material are gold and silk yarns

Palembang songket sarongs are not used daily, but at certain ceremonial events only, e.g. at traditional (adapt), wedding, religious ceremonies. The songket weaving are available in the form of sarong, shawl and headcloth. In latest development songket weaving are produced for various outfits of divans, back and seat of chairs, table coats, bags etc.

Hand bags songket

Songket patterns may be categorized in a number of ways. Some motive of Songket patterns:

Lepus bintang berante	Limar bintang berante
Limar cantik manis	Kenango makan ulet
Batang kayu apuy	Bungo jepang
Pulir	Biji pare
Nampan perak	Bungo cino
Bungo intan	Tabur limar
Lepus berakam	Cantik manis
Nago betarung	Bungo pacik
Tigo negeri

Tapis - Traditional Weaving of Lampung

Lampung had a rich and varied weaving tradition and its has its own traditions, high valued handicraft and art creations such as woven cloth, interwoven by gold threads called "tapis". For the Lampung community, tapis cloth reflects the status of the owner. Take Tapis Raja Medal, for example. This particular type of cloth may be worn only during traditional ceremonies by the upper class of the indigenous Lampung ethnic group, such as family members of traditional community elders or tribal chiefs. Even among the upper class, there are special rules that must be observed when wearing the cloth.

Traditionally, Lampung textiles were used as part of religious ceremonies such as weddings and circumcisions.The type of the ceremony will determine which tapis cloth should be worn. For weddings and cakak pepadun, only Tapis Jung Sarat, Raja Medal, Raja Tunggal, Dewasano, Limar Sekebar, Ratu Tulang Bawang and Cucuk Semako can be worn.

Tapis Raja Tunggal, Lampung

If a piece of tapis cloth is worn for a cangget, an event in which a dance is performed to honor an important guest, then it must be one with any of these motifs: Bintang Perak, Tapis Balak, Pucuk Rebung, Lawek Linau or Kibang. For elderly women, the tapis worn is usually Tapis Agheng, Cucuk Pinggir or Tapis Kaca. If a piece of tapis cloth is worn when it should not be, a traditional sanction will be imposed on the wearer. He or she will be admonished by the other members of the community. If, for example, someone who has yet to meet the traditional requirements for wearing Tapis Medal insists on wearing it during a traditional ceremony, the cloth may be taken off in public.

The Pucuk Rebung motif, a symbol of prosperity, remains the main motif used in tapis cloth today. Also still popular nowadays is the spiral motif, the symbol of worship of the sun and nature. The decorative motif of the Tree of Life is also believed to signify the unity and oneness of God, the creator of the universe.

However, modernization has caused tapis cloth to lose its sacred quality. Today, it is worn not only by noble families and traditional community elders, but also by lower class Lampung people. There is a difference, though.

The thread used to embroider the cloth worn by traditional community elders is usually mixed with gold but for ordinary people, the thread is gold in color only.
Despite this difference, the motifs embroidered on tapis cloth worn by ordinary people are still beautiful. However, the cloth may only be worn for certain traditional rites, such as bumammat, an event in which youngsters recite the Koran in a traditional hall in the presence of community elders and others as evidence that they can read the Koran.

Traditional Cloth of Madura

East Javanese house and its traditional weapon - clurit (and traditional clothes of the island of Madura)

In Indonesia which consists of some ethnic groups, every ethnic group has its own characteristics in clothing. For Madurese people, especially those living in Sumenep, the type of dresses is distinguished as follows:
1. Daily dress
2. Ceremonial dress
3. Common people’s dress
4. Elite people’s dress
5. Nobleman’s dress

Dress for Common People
For men the dress called peso with black colour. The pants also black colour and loose below the knee. This dress is fit out with a leather belt on which there is a pocket.
The Madurese call it “Sabbu tepa kole” and a Lead-clothe or “odeng”. Besides as a supplement, a “sarong” also worn crossways over the shoulder.

East Javanese house (and traditional clothes of the island of Madura)

The women wear a dress called “baju sono” or “baju kurung”,
”sarung poleng” which is green or red varied with conspicuous colours. Wearing a belt called “sivet” and a long shawl called “sarong bini” worn crossways over the left or right shoulder.
As the supplement of the daily dress, man as well as woman wear “gamparan” (slippers made of wood).

Ceremonial Dress
Ceremonial dress worn by men consists of “baju pesa”, “celana kombor” (loose pant), “odeng”, “selempang sarung” and “sabbu kale tepa”. This dress is fit out with a grandeur weapon such as “taka buwan” namely grass knife, big and long grass knife.
The women wear “baju sono” which is the same like worn daily, but the ceremonies dress is better than that worn daily.

Daily Dress for Parjaji
Daily dress which is worn by men is “baju taqwa” which looks like “surjan” with white buttons. This dress is fir out with “sarung Polekat” with a belt called “epek/stagen” to slip a creese and a head clothe called “odeng peredan.

The women wear a black “baju sono”. At the end of the long sleeves there are buttons made of silver, sarong with purer Madurese batik motive decorated of animals, leaves print and “stagen”.

Ceremonial Dress for parjaji
The men wear white “baju taqwa” with buttons made of silver or gold “adeng peredan”, long batik clothe not pleated. If the clothe is pleated then its pleats are wide and aslant.
There is prohibition for parjaji to wear clothe with a motive of “parang rusak”. Whereas the women wear baju sono. The clothe worn is “songket” long clothe and wearing “epek” or belt made of soft clothe. In former times, a parjaji either a man or a woman, was always accompanied by five servants when attending a party. The foremost one, carried a lamp or torch, those in the rear carried a container called “ekecohan” and grandeur umbrella.

Dress of Noblemen
The dress of a noblemen is almost similar with that worn by parjaji. The difference lies only in its supplements.
The man wears “ellogan”, namely belt wrapped in soft clothe to slip a creese. The colour of the “epek” is red or yellow and wear “odeng tongkosan” (tongkosan head clothe).The women also wear a dress which is worn by women of parjaji group.
If a nobleman attends a ceremony, he wears a black coat made of liken clothe embroidered with gold, a long clothe, wearing beautiful creese chained with melati flower. Head clothe worn is “odeng Sunda”.
Young nobleman wears “baju taqwa” when attending a ceremony; whereas the woman wear “baju sono” like that worn by the parjaji group. The noble women wear “sono” dress made of red velvet, dark blue or dark green, with long sleeves at the end of which there are six gold buttons. The dress worn has gold pin and belt or “epek” made of soft clothe. A clothe with a motive of “sidomukti” pleated in Madura style. A gold bracelet is worn on the ankle.

Bride Gown
There are three traditional bride gowns, worn one after another for three days. Bride gowns for parjaji and arja group are as follows:
-The first night, is “dilega” dress. The bridegroom does not wear a shirt whereas the bride wears a “kemben” a (clothe worn around the chest). This dress is attached with decoration worn on a neck, fingers and arms.
-The second night is the “kraton kepotren” dress. The bridegroom wears a black coat with lace, black “liken” made of pants; whereas the bride wears long black “kebaya” with velvet laces full with its decorations.
-The third night, either the bride or bridegroom wears a dress to attend a common ceremony (“taqwa” dress and “sono” dress).

Bride Gown for Common People
As the wedding ceremony of “parjaji” and noblemen is carried out three days, the wedding ceremony of common people is carried out only one day, but the bride gown changed three times.
On the first meeting, the bridegroom wears white “jubah” (tabard) in Arab style, the bride wears long white skirt complere with the head clothe.
On the second meeting, the bridegroom wears a black coat with a necktie, wearing a “sidomukti” clothe and “belangkon” head clothe typically Madurese, decorated with a creese on his back. And the bride wears a long “sidomukti” clothe and “kebaya”.
On the third or the last meeting, the bridegroom wears pants, a coat, a necktie and a head clothe. Whereas the bride wears a long skirt or long cloth and “kebaya”.

Traditional Craft of South Sumatera

Since long before, South Sumatera has been known with its traditional crafts like weaving, plaiting, wood carving, ceramics and metal-craft. Hereditary, these art craft has not change much. It is caused by the fact that most of those products are utilized as equipments in the adapt ceremonies.

It has been mentioned about the tradition to decorate the adapt-house with wood-carving. This wood carving art does not only produce home decoration, but also furniture. Characteristics of South Sumatra wood carving art, especially that of Palembang, is the density and excessiveness of the decoration with see through technique using plant-motives with symbolism. The decorative impression is more conspicuous due to the application of different colours on the decoration. The most popular colours are gold-coating and red (lac), a tradition which supposed to be originated from Chinese decorative art.

Along the development of wood carving art, the songket-weaving art has also been developed, especially in Palembang where it later further expanded to the Meranjat OKI region. The songket-weaving art has been known already since the Sriwijaya period, when silk and gold yarns were used. The plant decorative motives seen at the woodcarving decoration appear again at the songket decorations. According to the applied decorative motives and their designs, several names of songket weaving are known as Songket Lepus, Songket Naga Berdaung, Songket Bunga jatuh, Songket Bunga Cina, Songket Bertabut, Songket janda berhias, etc. The songket weaving are available in the form of sarong, shawl and headcloth. In latest development songket weaving are produced for various outfits of divans, back and seat of chairs, table coats, etc.

Table - Wood Carving, Palmebang

Ceramic art of South Sumatra has been know since former times having produced daily necessity equipments like pitchers, cooking-pots, boilers, water-barrels, braziers, water-pitchers, money-boxers, etc.

Kayu Agung city is a centre of ceramic art beside Poya Kabung village which produces especially decoration ceramics. In the latest development, in Mentok and Sungailiat (Bangka) a sort of porcelain ceramics has been produced as industrial article. This fact is supported by the availability of high grade ceramic material in that area.

The plait-craft tradition started as side production efforts for own consumption. Bamboo and rattan are the main material to produce plaitware as baskets, mats, hats, dish-cover, bags, etc.

The Payung and Kelapa sub-districts of Bangka are well-known of their platcraft producing Kopiah (cap) made of resam, a sort of fern. Acquainted with foreign craft products and stimulated by the needs to sell, then furniture of rattan are produce, as chairs, beds, lamp-shades, book-selves, buffets, etc.

For the outfit of adapt wedding, beside songket weaving articles, the crafts of metal-smiths are also needed, which manufacture ankle and armbraceletsm brest-decorations, shoulder-decorations, belts, rings, hair-decorations (crown) etc. Materials used therefore are gold, silver, or brass blending with hammering, carving, shaping and welding technique. The Penganggon and the Gede decorations are outfits for adapt wedding, which demonstrate traditional decorative-art beauty-value being produced in the region of Palembang. The precious metal smithy art tradition has gradually disappeared. Palembang, the city once know as a centre of activity of this art, there is today rare of craftmen producing outfits for traditional wedding. Meranjat OKI is also known as a centre of gold-craft, beside being a centre of songket weaving, as mentioned before.

SOUTH SUMATERA CULTURAL ART

The Ampera Brigde in the evening.

It spreads above Musi River, Palembang (South Sumatera)

Cultural Background
The South Sumatera Province encloses the inlands in the west and south parts which consist of hilly upland plains, while the north and east parts are swampy lowland plains and coast areas. Opposite the shore are the islands Bangka and Belitung.

The natives of South Sumatera consists of several tribes having there own dialects as the Komering, the Ogas, the Pasemah, the Musi, the palembang, the Lamatang, the bangka, the Belitung, the Sekak and other dialects.

Means of existence of the people aremainly trade and fishing. Nowadays there are also labourersartisans and government officials among them.

The geography of South Sumatera contributes to the shaping of a cultural type, which reveals not only local patterns, but also foreign elements as the result of acculturation.

The early development of culture in South Sumatera started from prehistory. Megalitic cultural heritage in several districts of South Sumatra shows high level culture, leaving monuments and stone objects, beside stone sculptures of different style compared toother magilitic stone figures at Java and Sulawesi.

Si Pahit Lidah's foot printed on the stone

As the case in other regions, the presence of stone figures is always associated to folklores. So is the “Si Pahit Lidah” (The Bitter Tongued”) legend known among the people of South Sumatera, telling the story of stone figures as the curse of “Si Pahit Lidah”. The magalitic stone figures of South Sumatera explain that the people living in the last stone period and early bronze age, mastered already the skill of stone chiseling. The clothes figured on the sculptures also reveal the life and behaviour of the people in the past according to their needs.

The skill of erecting stone buildings and chiseling stones developed further after the arrival of a new – Hinduist and Buddhist backed-up-culture. South Sumatera became one of the new religions central in Indonesia under the reign of the Syailendra and Sriwijaya dynasties. Above mentioned culture did not leave many stone temples and statues unlike the case at java; this remains the problem being discussed among experts.

The fact that cultural heritage of that age is still rare or undisclosed does not mean that we have no sources of knowledge concerning its art development. The aesthetic standard of art products of the Sriwijaya golden age is still known through traditions of various art-crafts inherited to the next periods.

The most strategic location of Sriwijaya in the traffic of trade opened the opportunity for the emergence and growth of traditional crafts within the royal circle and among the common people as well. In its development this art-craft tradition has been enriched by foreign elements of art-craft, from countries outside Indonesia as well as from within Nusantara itself.
Various types and patterns of ornaments appearing on tradition buildings decorations and furniture show the integration of those elements of artcraft.

Decorating motives originated from pre-Hindu, Hindu and from other foreign cultures, as from China and Siam are blended in various traditional decorations art designs in South Sumatra. These decorations appear on products of weaving art, ceramics, wood-carving, plaints, etc., showing decorative motives being typical of South Sumatera, as sunflower, melati, bamboo shoot, crinum asiaticum, fern and other motives. Chinese influence prevailed further along the development of trade. This influence evolved various skills in craftsmanship as of furniture craft and building construction. The role of Chinese art appears in the shape on buildings as the minaret of the Palembang Grand Mosque with its pagoda-typed dome.

Dragon, squirrel and funix bird are some examples of the so-many Chinese decorative motives appearing on furniture in South Sumatera.

With the development of Islam, the art of South Sumatera has been further enriched with elements of Islamic art. Beside plastic art, qasidah and rebana became new assets in the development of art in this region.

Arabic calligraphy assumes an important role through various techniques in mosque and home decorations. The old art still plays its role in art activities within the Islamic society. Al of these has become tradition which reflects the nation’s character for being open to various art influences from outside, without neglecting own identity. The arrival of Europeans – though it did not effect directly the building and development of art in South Sumatera – it brought changes in the expressions of artists. Art craft and decorative art, beside high standard dance and music, were not maintained, and suspended as frozen traditional art, many of the were even destroyed.

The new culture brought European style into city buildings as houses, offices and churches which were erected by architects who entirely did not know about the tradition of construction art in this area.

Conservation of art were poorly maintained, as traditional values win less appreciation in the development of new culture. Education in colonial time removed art further from society life. The effect was that social appreciation toward own art was no longer developed.

Traditional art will regain its meaning and value in the society, when the nation concerned starts being aware of the glory of the inherited tradition. The bearers of tradition should remind themselves of the art and cultural values ever owned by their nation.

Natural art tradition needs to be re-expressed through various efforts principally by revitalization. In this case, education needs to play its role beside direct steps in the remaining central of traditional art activities.

Through art education, traditional art will not only regain its place in the society, but will also be able to generate creativities to produce new forms of art expressions, without neglecting its own regional art identity.

Celebrity Tattoos - Red Hot Chili Peppers

SOUTH KALIMANTAN CULTURAL ART (3)

Study of its Traditional Arts

South Kalimantan is rich enough in its traditional art. They are the two dimensional art and the three dimensional. The two dimensional products of art include the weaving, painting on glass, ornaments, calligraphy and wooden craft. The three dimensional ones include architecture and statues. The raw material for weaving is rattan, bamboo and purun (stalks of certain grass). Weaving has prospered well in this area. Rattan weaving has become rattan craft and its products are: all kinds of rattan bags for various purposes, various kinds of hats, etc. Handbags for women are made with special designs that are very beautiful; the ornaments are also artistic. There are two types of ornaments; the traditional and the modern.

Weaving crafts

The products of bamboo craft are in the form of woven bamboo baskets (bakul). The ornaments are traditional, which are inherited from their ancestors. The motifs of the ornaments are usually spiral like, geometric, “tumpal”, etc.

“Purun” is the raw material for making floor mat by weaving, wide floor mat for sitting, for mattress layer, and small size mat for praying. The wide floor mats usually use regular geometrical motifs. Diagonal lines divide the mat into oblongs (rectangles), squares, parallelogram and kite-like form. They use re, green, blue and the natural colour of the purun itself. Mats for praying are rich in motifts and styles of weaving. If they use the natural colour of the purun itself, they will use certain method of weaving to expose the texture of the mats which are like products of modern art.

The multi-colour weaving show us the traditional products of the mat-weaving. But nowadays, there are some products of weaving that we call them optical art, even though the makers themselves haven’s known what optical art is.

Glass painting has become rare and most of them are the products of fifty years ago. They usually painted the buroq, Adam, Eve and the apple, mosques, calligraphy, etc.

There are also many kinds of ornaments, in the form of “the tree of life” and those that are applied for cupboards, beds and other furniture.

There are many kinds of motifs to be used, they are: the tree of life, double spirals, swastika, tumpal, clover leaf, geometrical, stars, flora and fauna, calligraphy, arabesque and turik.

Carving can be found in wood products and brass. Wood carving is used for furniture, parts of houses, certain parts of boats, wooden part of mosques, pulpits, wooden parts above the doors, wooden parts of tombstones, the roofs above tombstones. Brass carving (engraving) as craft can be found in: brass tray (bowl), abun, deep metal bowl for betel chewing, metal save to keep money, kettles, buckets, boxes to keep souvenirs, miniature guns, etc. Unfortunately, they are rarely made now, except those carving for cupboards, beds, and some other furniture.

Calligraphy sometimes stands alone as calligraphy, but some others are parts of certain ornaments. This calligraphy is written in Arabic alphabets in different form of the words depending on the needs, whether they are used to complete ornaments or stand for calligraphy themselves. Calligraphy is placed in respected place in the house. It is placed above the doors, on tops of dividers, on the pulpits in the mosque, on “liwan” and hung on the wall. Calligraphy is also used on brass products such as souvenir box, etc. They use carving or engraving method and sometimes etching method.

The three dimensional products of art are the architecture and statues. The traditional houses include the highroof houses, the palimasan, palimbangan, gajah baligu, joglo houses, Balai Bini, Balai Laki. These are only as monuments because new houses with the same types are not built any longer. The old ones were built about fifty years ago. The traditional mosques have overlapping roofs (double roofs) with domes on top of them. There are only a few mosques with this type of roofs. They are Syu’ada Mosque at Wasah (at the upstream of Sungai Selatan), Sungai Batang Mosque at Banjar area. People have changed he roofs of some double-roof-mosques with curved-roof-types like those mosques in North Africa or roofs of Byzantium types. They only changed the top roof of the mosques.

Dayak Statue - Borneo

There are no statues in the Banjar culture because the Banjar are the followers of Islam. Statues are only made by the Dayaks who are still the followers of Kaharingan.
Statues are made very simple but they are magical. The material for making these statues is the “ulin wood” that stands well against heat and rain. The black colour of the wood supports the magical purposes of the Dayak statues. These statues are erected just outside the Dayak villages as their protectors. They are also erected near the grave yards as guards. Statues for profane purposes are not made by the Dayaks.

SOUTH KALIMANTAN CULTURAL ART (2)

The Function and Social Role in the Society

Beside its artistic aspects, the South Kalimantan culture and art also have their functions as well as their social role. The Dayak statues, for example, which are erected outside their villages, have a magical function to guard their villages against bad spirits.

Air Guci

The “dinding air guci” (the painted screen) is made of a piece of white cloth embroidered with “air guci” or rembuci motif. The embroidery has become a standard for this kind of screen and other embroideries function only as ornaments. This standard embroideries symbolizes happiness and fertility. It is in the form of big water-jug with thick foliage and roots that come out from the mouth of the jug. This motif symbolizes magical meaning that expresses vitality that can make a man happy and that can silent the other people that live in the long house outside the screen.

The use of “air guci” screen is to provide a separate room for a newly married couple. The mosquito screen of the bed is doubted with this screen with a hope that this couple will be happy and will have many children. A lot of children is the classical hope of our older generation. With the “air guci” screen the couple is separated from the rest of the others who live in the long house that is without inside wall or dividers. The coupe live in their own world. The traditional and the social life of the people in the long house are not disturbed by the screened room of the couple.

In South Kalimantan, there is still another important thing; that is called the dragon head (Kepala naga). It has magical functions for the big family (clan) who owns them. They could treat them carefully with respect. They should cover them with yellow cloth and scatter some flowers around them and also put some eggs for their food at certain intervals. Big families (clan) usually have two kinds of naga heads; they are is Rintik and si Ribut. The two naga head also function as a means of transportation for the bride and bridegroom during the procession around the village. The descendants of the owners of the naga heads should treat them as best as they can; otherwise, the naga heads, they believe, will make one of the members sick. If they treat them correctly, the sickness will go away.

Another function of the naga heads is to identify the far away kinds that have not been known yet. Supposing for example, a member of a family is sick of an unnatural sickness, the family will search or try to find out where the naga heads of the clan are. By so doing, they will know their position in the big family tree. It also happens when a family wants to celebrate a marriage, they need naga heads to complete the ceremony or the procession. The presence of the relatives who belong to the naga heads can strengthen their relationship.

From the above mentioned description, we can make conclusion that the culture and art of this area have two sides; as magical things and as products of art themselves.

SOUTH KALIMANTAN CULTURAL ART (1)

Barito river

The History Background
The owners of the culture art of South Kalimantan are the Banjar tribes who give dominant styles to the culture and art of that area. The Dayaks, Malays, Javanese, Buginese and some others have also contribution in the forming of South Kalimantan art and culture. The Banjars are actually the mixture of the Maayan, Lawangan, Bukit and Ngaju tribes who are influenced by the Malayan and Javanese culture. It is said that the Malays had migrated to this area before the 6th century. Later, together with the Dayak, they formed a new tribe which was first known as the Banjar tribe.

The migration of the Javanese happened in the 13th century. They were mostly from East Java. The migration was probably caused by the political chaos in Java.

The settlers, who were the Malays or the Javanese, had to use rivers like the Barito, the Negara, the Martapura, the Tabalong, etc., for the means of transportation.

Floating Market in South Kalimantan.
Transportation is available on land or on water by riverboats. Vendors move from one place to another by rowing their canoes.

The Dayak had settled there along the rivers for long time. And so the mixture of these groups of people were inevitable. In forming the new groups, the Banjars were dominant.

Dayak Woman

The migration had continued. During the Sriwijaya era, the Malays came and during the Majapahit era, the Javanese did. And then came the Islamic culture which was brought by the Malays, the Banjars and the Javanese. The Islamic influences entered through the rivers of Barito, the Martapura, the Negara up to the smaller ones like the Tapin, the Amandit, the Tabalong, the Balangan, etc.

In the 16th century, the Buginese and the Mandars arrived at south east Kalimantan. The mixture (mingle) of the Dayak, the Malays and the Javanese formed a new language that is known as the Banjar language. In this language, the Malay structure and vocabulary are more dominant than the Javanese or other languages. When Islam was adopted by the Banjars, as a mixture of tribes, could easily adopt foreign influences, including the Islamic religion. And later, their descendants and Islam had great contributions to strengthen this tribe. The native or the Dayak who believe in Islam, call themselves “the Banjar”, but those who believe in the “Kaharingan” and those who are Christian call themselves the Dayak.

Since the Banjars are a mixture of tribes, their cultural and art is also a kind of synthesis. But later, their culture and art had become characteristically “Banjar”, which constitute one form of culture and art among the so many forms in Indonesia.

The Malay influences are not only on the language, but also on the culture and art. The Banjar headdresses are also similar to those of the Malayan ones. The formal dresses (clothes) for men (the “baju palimbangan”) are also similar to those worm by the Malayan (the “baju Teluk Belanga”).

Their dances are also influenced by the Malays. The “Japen” dance or the “Japin” is one of the dances that still exists in South Kalimantan in the settlements of the Banjars as well as the Malays ones. The theatrical art also gets some influences from the Malays society. Many years ago, Royal theatre was also found in the Malays settlements. The influences can still be found in the “Mamanda” theatre which is still popular up to now.

There are also Javanese influences in their language as well as their culture; mainly in the theatre and visual art (fine art).

At the theatrical art, such as the leather puppets (wayang kulit) there are two kinds of art, the theatrical and the fine art. The language they use is the mixture of Javanese and Banjar languages. The conditions in the “Wayang Orang” and “Damarulan” are the same. In Java, they are known as “Wayang Wong” and “Damarwulan”. Beside Wayang Orang, there is also “Wayang Gung” there. It is like wayang orang but there are some differences in the headdresses and the stories they perform.

The Javanese influences in the fine art also very cleat; especially in the making of leather puppets that have Hindu or Buddhist ornaments. The gamelan instruments they use are also similar to those of Java; they have the same name and forms.

If we study the whole culture of South Kalimantan, we’ll find that the local culture is influenced by other culture. They are as follows:
1. The local culture that is influenced by the Javanese one.
2. The local culture that is influenced by the Malays one.
3. The local culture that is influenced by the Dayak one.
4. The Dayak culture itself.

The Dayak culture originated from the old times when animism and dynamism had great influences.

The Function and Social Role in the Society
Beside its artistic aspects, the South Kalimantan culture and art also have their functions as well as their social role. The Dayak statues, for example, which are erected outside their villages, have a magical function to guard their villages against bad spirits (read more)

Study of its Traditional Arts
South Kalimantan is rich enough in its traditional art. They are the two dimensional art and the three dimensional. The two dimensional products of art include the weaving, painting on glass, ornaments, calligraphy and wooden craft. The three dimensional ones include architecture and statues. The raw material for weaving is rattan, bamboo and purun (stalks of certain grass). Weaving has prospered well in this area (read more)

North Sumatera Cultural Art

The native people consists of all kinds of ethnic groups namely the Malayans, Batak Toba, Simalungun, Karo, Pakpak Dairi, Pesisir, Mandailing and Nias. They reside in their own area, nevertheless there is an assimilation among the migrants in some areas especially in big cities.

The majority of the population earn their living by farming. In the coastal area there are a lot of them who live as fishermen. And some of them carry on trade, become labourers and officials especially cities and plantation areas.

Since a long time ago North Sumatera has been open for the outer world. This is not only caused by the existing communication facilities such as the ocean harbours Belawan and Sibolga and the airport of Polonia Medan but, also Indonesian ethnic groups especially many of those from Java have lived in this province since the opening of the plantation in Dutch Colonial time.

Even later they have assimilated with the native people. Also many foreign citizens live here; especially in big cities. Plantations form the most important economical potential of north Sumatera. A big plantation area is especially found in plains in the Eastern part.

Like the other areas in Indonesia, North Sumatera is characterized with all kinds of art. And caused by the regional condition, the existence of a particular style of art is of nothing incredible in every region. Also various kinds of ethnic groups found in North Sumatra, have created sorts of art showing where the ethnic groups come from.

As a really open area for comers it is obvious that the influence of outer culture will easily enter this area. This influence is seen obviously on the nature of art inherited up to the present. This doesn’t mean that the original form of their art has disappeared. The inheritance shows that some tribes, especially in the inlands still practice the art. Like art life in other areas, the birth and creation of art in North Sumatra contains magic/religious and aesthetic aspects. These two values appear in all kinds of arts.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

According to the myth of the tribes, there were all kinds of antecedents of the people of North Sumatera.

Batak tribe for example believes that their ancestors came down from heaven to the top of mouth Busuk Buhit, and lived in Sianjur area. It first around Samosir island and later its generation developed and spread everywhere in its surroundings. Nias tribe believes that their ancestors came from them most beautiful heaven called Tetoholi Ana’a, and went down to the Gomo area in the middle part of Nias and later spread to all part of the island. Some of the Malayan tribe believes they were originated from the descendants of Iskandar Zulkarnaen who came down on the hill of Siguntang in Palembang.

Nothing could fix the antecedents of the people of North Sumatera, however, according to the historical of the spreading of the tribes like the other Indonesian people the ancestors were supposed to come from further India coming to this area in groups. Therefore people consisting of all kinds of tribes developed by themselves in their own areas.

As the result of the pluralistic condition art as moral expression of the tribes, they have their own various style and kinds. Like the various kinds of its tribes in North Sumatra there are all kinds of traditional art, namely Malayan art, Batak Toba art, Simalungan art, Karo art, Pakpak Dairi art, Angkola mandailing art, coastal and Nias art. These traditional arts have their own kinds, style and local characteristics.

War Dance, Nias

The style and characteristics of ethnic art, are later influenced by outer culture. The influence of the older megalithic art is found in the cultural environment of the population of Nias archipelago. The Hindu influence is felt especially in the Batak ethnic environment whereas Islam influence in the coastal populated area. Megalithic art for example has left its remnants in Nias in the form of stone monuments and sacrificial ceremony by scarifying a pig. Also in several places around Samosir there are statues and cemeteries of the ancestors. The Hindu influence is around in all kinds of aspects of life in this area. In all kinds of spoken language and medical books of Batak called Pustaha there are Sanskrit words. Even the form of the original Batak characters are very much influenced by Hindu, so are the textile handicraft.

The temples found in South Tapanuli are proofs of Hindu remainder in architectural field. The temple complex spread in a large area.

Some names of “marga” in Dairi and Karo, are considered to have originated from the influence of social structure in Hindu culture, such as “marga-marga” Brahmana, Padia, and Colia. So are the influences of religion and Islam cultures. Especially in the art of this area, there are all kinds and sorts of typical Islamic items. Gambus, rebana, adrah, bordah and qasidah are Islamic art of music. Whereas in field of art dancing for example there is one called “tari zapin” which is liked by people of the coastal area.

Batak traditional house

Mosque and palace are the products of Islamic architecture. The Grand Mosque in Medan and Azizi Mosque in Tanjungpura, with their beautiful ornaments have a high Islamic architecture, so are the Maimun on palace in Medan and the Datuk Lime Laras Palace in Asahan.

The Dutch Colonial rule later built some buildings in European style such as City Hall and Post office. Since this era, the new art had developed as individualistic among the middle class people who was living in the city. Whereas the traditional art was still supported by the ethnic group although it was not developed by the colonial government.

In general the new art forms activities on literature and play which develop in Medan. The well known play groups at that time were Keris (creese) Opera, Blue White, Miss Alang etc. The period of the Japanese occupation formed a paralyzing period for art. The people potential supporting traditional art grew weaker and weaker. Some kinds of art had disappeared and the appreciation of the people toward art was decreasing. The daily stress of life which was so burdensome influences the attention and attitude of people toward their traditional art.

After the fight for freedom especially after 1960s’ traditional activity being neglected for a long time and as the result of change in attitude and progress of the era gradually could attract the interest of the people. Probably caused by the strength of the Batak people in holding and applying their tradition, the spreading of art from one area/tribe to the other became difficult. Consequently, particular style of art of each area/tribe was created.

Lampung Cultural Art

The culture of Lampung has begun since prehistoric time based on the prehistoric inheritance of Lampung including the spreading area of megalith and bronze Culture, this is based on the discoveries of bronze drums or “nekara” and statues of ancestors of megalithic era in specific Pasemah style of Art.

At the beginning of the first century the Hindu influence was supposed to enter Indonesia. The influence of the Kingdom of Sriwijaya had left Hindu culture in Lampung which further developed until the era of the kingdom of Majapahit. The traditional of Lampung Community has an effect from Hindu and Buddha even up to the present. Such as the structure of its community, the way of thinking and the traditional ceremonies. Like other areas in Sumatra, the development of Islam was begun with trading activities which was then strengthened by the Kingdom authorities. Islam was supposed to enter Lampung from West Sumatra, however history has proved that the development of Islam in Lampung were among others caused by the fact that this area was used by preachers from Banten to practice the teaching of Islam under the reign of Sultan Hasanuddin. This does not mean the influence of Islam did not come from Sumatra. The Sultanate of Palembang in its trading activities particularly in pepper trading, had also given an Islamic culture effect in the Northern part of Lampung.

"Tulang Bawang" was known as Lampung pepper plantation which drew much attention to the traders from outside this area. It was not surprising that Lampung was the area where all kinds of cultural factors came from outside such as from Minangkabau, Malaya, Palembang, and Java, particularly from Banten. These cultural factors from outside have become the foundation of the traditional Culture of Lampung.

The ancient belief in prehistoric time formed a tradition of believing supernatural power, creatures and spirit of the ancestors. The belief in “Gali-Gasing”, giant of heaven which pounced on the moon, "Satatuha", a tiger as the substance of spirit of the ancestors; such a belief created incantations, prohibitions and all kinds of ceremonies which were obeyed as traditional cultural heritage. Some kinds of traditional village ceremonies showed mixture of both factors faith and religion. The "Gahak Pepadun" ceremony, a ceremony of achieving a title according to Lampung Pepadun Community, was one of the village ceremonies indicating sinkretism of some kinds of element of faith and religion. Since Islam rules were of most importance and very much respected, ceremonies according to the Islamic calender among others “Nyungsum Bulan” was held on the birthday of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. “Ngaru belas” was held on mauled of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W., beside other ceremonies like those generally found in other communities in Indonesia. The influence of Hindu and Islam could be seen in its literature legends, poems and epigrams from generation to generation.

The influence of Hindu is left on the story of Raden Jambat Mangkirat in the form of poem, the adaptations of the story of "Rama and Shinta", which later changed its theme and form caused by the influence of Islam. The old texts ever uncovered among others contained those story of animals and local events, beside those containing elements of education and history.

Proverbs or phrases in the form of epigrams or verses delivered on ceremonies. If the proverbs contains some advice or guidance of life epigrams become variation which was uttered by replying each other in the ceremony. The literature mentioned above was among others that which become the source of stage drama such as the legend of Raden Jambat. The story teller acted as the story reader or ”dalang” in the drama of "wayang kulit (leather puppet) by imitating, the movement or the words of every prominent figure being told.

The series of traditional ceremony in the region always involved activities in arts. Consequently traditional art in the region was supported by traditional rules on the community which were very much obeyed. Traditional classical dances of the Lampung region were displayed on traditional events such as wedding ceremonies, visitors welcome ceremonies, installation of title ceremonies (cakak pepadun) etc. This traditional dances was accompanied by musical instrument such as “kelintang Lampung” or “Talo and Rebana”. Traditional garment including supplements of facilities containing values of art of decoration and art of regional handicraft.
“Tari Ngambai/Sambai”, traditional classical dance from Aceh, displayed by young people in honour of guests. “Tari Kipas” known of its dynamic movements, “Tari Seruping”, or war dance; “Tari Piring” with all kinds of dance movements.

Beside the traditional classical dance mentioned above there is a certain new dance a greater part of which is based on the traditional pattern though not exactly bound to the rules and movement and rhythm of dance like that standardized in classical dance.
These dance are for example: tari Sembah, Tari Manjau, Tari Sebambangan, Tari Sorai, Serumpun etc, like in the art of dance, music of Lampung, either vocal or instrumental is based on tradition. The main basis of Lampung music is vocal music whereas instrumental music comes from outside.

Vocal music is art of recital which in several areas of Lampung is called Muanjay “Adi-adi Hatang” and “Pisaan” can be recited individually or in group. “Diker” or Zikir” which belongs to instrumental music is accompanied by instruments such as "kendang" and "rebana", it is by nature a religions music (Islam). The introduction of new musical instruments such as harmonium, guitar, violin, have created new songs which become popular among the community of Lampung. This new creation has developed in "gambus" orchestras, Malayan orchestra with Malayan and Indian rhythm of songs.

Classical music instrument in Lampung is ike a flute made of thin bamboo with one hole on the bottom and three holes on the upper side. "Kulintang" belongs to this bamboo made musical instrument which has been pushed aside by Javanese "gamelan" recently.