A worthwhile exhibition gets scant attention<\/p>\n
By Rita A. Widiadana<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): People are invited to discover Indonesia's rich
\nheritage through an art exhibition at the National Museum called
\nEast Meets West.<\/p>\n
Organized jointly by the National Museum, United Nations
\nEducation and Culture Organization (UNESCO) and Lokaswara
\nfoundation, the event mainly aims to increase the awareness of
\nIndonesians, youths in particular, on the country's centuries-old
\ntraditions. The exhibition, previously scheduled to run until
\nSept. 20, will end on Saturday night. The change in schedule is
\ndue to renovations being done at the museum.<\/p>\n
Suwati Kartiwa, director of the National Museum, says
\nit is very important to reintroduce old traditions to the younger
\ngeneration so that they can appreciate their precious heritage.<\/p>\n
\"There is concern that there will be a 'missing link' between
\nour past and present if we do not work hard to understand and to
\npreserve our traditions in a proper way,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The exhibition, displaying a myriad of indigenous arts of
\nthree different communities from North Sumatra's Nias island,
\nKalimantan and Irian Jaya, primarily serves as a reminder of the
\ncountry's past radiance.<\/p>\n
Curator Franki Raden explained that the term East Meets West
\nsymbolically represents the culture of people in the western part
\nof Indonesia (Nias), in the central part (Kalimantan) and the
\neastern part (Irian Jaya) of the country.<\/p>\n
\"These exhibits are a very small part of the lavish and
\nbountiful traditional works of art which through the centuries
\nhave been strongly connected to every aspect of the people's
\nlives and traditions in these three respective areas,\" he said.<\/p>\n
For people from the advanced world, with their comprehensive
\nknowledge of science and technology, encountering this \"ancient
\nworld\" may be an enchanting experience.<\/p>\n
The exhibits are on view in an unfinished exhibition hall in
\nthe right wing of the National Museum.<\/p>\n
\"The atmosphere in this unpolished hall is suited to the mood
\nof this exhibition, which emphasizes the displaying of arts which
\npossess spiritual values,\" said Franki.<\/p>\n
A number of human-sized wooden statues from Kalimantan and
\nNias greet visitors to this archaic world.<\/p>\n
The exhibition starts with a collection of Nias art
\noriginating from the megalithic period.<\/p>\n
There is a tuff stone statue and a tiger-like statue, said to
\npossess potent powers to chase away evil spirit.<\/p>\n
Sampudong Hampotong (Wooden Sculpture), made of blackwood,
\nportrays an Italian man wearing a cylindrical hat.<\/p>\n
In addition to sculptures, there are various artworks from
\nNias such as bronze and silver swords, dance costumes and
\nhousehold items.<\/p>\n
Nias island, called Tanah Niha by the local people, is located
\n80 kilometers off the west coast of Sumatra in the Indonesian
\nOcean.<\/p>\n
The tribal people on the island, who call themselves Ono Niha
\n(children of the people), still maintain their age-old traditions
\namong the well-preserved megalithic structures.<\/p>\n
Although the majority of Nias people are Christian, they
\nremain faithful to their ancestral belief of Malehe Aus or
\nFanemba Adu. The Nias items displayed in this exhibition are
\nmostly used for both social and religious purposes.<\/p>\n
From Kalimantan, visitors will catch a glimpse of the lives of
\nthe island's hinterland communities, the Dayaks, through their
\nartwork.<\/p>\n
According to the famous anthropologist H.J. Malincrodt, the
\nindigenous people of Kalimantan, the Dayaks, can be classified
\ninto six subtribes: the Kenyah, the Ot Danum, the Iban, the
\nMurut, the Punan and the Klemantan,<\/p>\n
The Dayak living in the hinterland of Kalimantan still adhere
\nto their ancestral animism, which in some areas is known as
\nKaharingan, which literally means \"water for living\".<\/p>\n
The adherents believe in the existence of spirits and souls,
\nwhich inhabit certain objects of nature, such as big boulders and
\ntrees.<\/p>\n
Art creations displayed at the museum comprise decorative and
\nreligious items ranging from traditional weapons, lavish bead
\nwork, to statues, toys, masks, coffins and other items which are
\nused by the people for various religious and spiritual
\nactivities.<\/p>\n
The ironwood statues representing human beings and animals are
\npart of the Dayak's ancestral religion. There are basically a few
\ntypes of statues in Kalimantan: statues for traditional
\nceremonies, decorative statues and family statues which are
\npersonifications of ancestors and deceased members of a family.<\/p>\n
The items represent a variety of symbols. Symbolization is
\nlavishly exercised during rituals of worship in these
\ncommunities. Masks, which are among the most important trappings
\nof rituals of worship, have symbolical significance which is
\nassociated with morals and the unceasing conflict between good
\nand evil.<\/p>\n
The traditional houses of the Dayaks in which such rituals are
\nheld are adored with figures bearing themes embodying the various
\nmeanings of and relationships in life.<\/p>\n
Symbols as expressions of tradition have always attracted the
\nattention of anthropologists. Numerous studies have been made of
\nsuch symbols for the purpose of gaining insight into the
\nbackground of the ethnic traditions.<\/p>\n
Traces of Micronesian culture are found in various stone
\nstatues and structural forms from the country's eastern-most
\nprovince Irian Jaya.<\/p>\n
The exhibition displays a large number of works produced by
\nthe Asmat, the Dani, the Yah'ray and other tribes.<\/p>\n
Among the distinguished works is the ship of the soul which is
\nsymbolically used to transport the dead on their journey to the
\nhereafter. A 20-meter tall tree house of the Korowai people
\nstands outside the exhibition hall.<\/p>\n
All the exhibits will be presented by UNESCO to the National
\nMuseum as part of its collection of traditional arts.<\/p>\n
On a whole, the exhibition is worth seeing despite its
\nshortcomings. Poor promotion and the absence of catalogs that
\nwould give visitors the chance to understand the exhibits have
\nstopped people from visiting the museum.<\/p>\n
In a society that largely ignores museums, more serious
\nefforts to lure the public to the museum must be made, otherwise
\nall significant programs held there could be for nothing.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/a-worthwhile-exhibition-gets-scant-attention-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}