A worthwhile exhibition gets scant attention
A worthwhile exhibition gets scant attention
By Rita A. Widiadana
JAKARTA (JP): People are invited to discover Indonesia's rich
heritage through an art exhibition at the National Museum called
East Meets West.
Organized jointly by the National Museum, United Nations
Education and Culture Organization (UNESCO) and Lokaswara
foundation, the event mainly aims to increase the awareness of
Indonesians, youths in particular, on the country's centuries-old
traditions. The exhibition, previously scheduled to run until
Sept. 20, will end on Saturday night. The change in schedule is
due to renovations being done at the museum.
Suwati Kartiwa, director of the National Museum, says
it is very important to reintroduce old traditions to the younger
generation so that they can appreciate their precious heritage.
"There is concern that there will be a 'missing link' between
our past and present if we do not work hard to understand and to
preserve our traditions in a proper way," she said.
The exhibition, displaying a myriad of indigenous arts of
three different communities from North Sumatra's Nias island,
Kalimantan and Irian Jaya, primarily serves as a reminder of the
country's past radiance.
Curator Franki Raden explained that the term East Meets West
symbolically represents the culture of people in the western part
of Indonesia (Nias), in the central part (Kalimantan) and the
eastern part (Irian Jaya) of the country.
"These exhibits are a very small part of the lavish and
bountiful traditional works of art which through the centuries
have been strongly connected to every aspect of the people's
lives and traditions in these three respective areas," he said.
For people from the advanced world, with their comprehensive
knowledge of science and technology, encountering this "ancient
world" may be an enchanting experience.
The exhibits are on view in an unfinished exhibition hall in
the right wing of the National Museum.
"The atmosphere in this unpolished hall is suited to the mood
of this exhibition, which emphasizes the displaying of arts which
possess spiritual values," said Franki.
A number of human-sized wooden statues from Kalimantan and
Nias greet visitors to this archaic world.
The exhibition starts with a collection of Nias art
originating from the megalithic period.
There is a tuff stone statue and a tiger-like statue, said to
possess potent powers to chase away evil spirit.
Sampudong Hampotong (Wooden Sculpture), made of blackwood,
portrays an Italian man wearing a cylindrical hat.
In addition to sculptures, there are various artworks from
Nias such as bronze and silver swords, dance costumes and
household items.
Nias island, called Tanah Niha by the local people, is located
80 kilometers off the west coast of Sumatra in the Indonesian
Ocean.
The tribal people on the island, who call themselves Ono Niha
(children of the people), still maintain their age-old traditions
among the well-preserved megalithic structures.
Although the majority of Nias people are Christian, they
remain faithful to their ancestral belief of Malehe Aus or
Fanemba Adu. The Nias items displayed in this exhibition are
mostly used for both social and religious purposes.
From Kalimantan, visitors will catch a glimpse of the lives of
the island's hinterland communities, the Dayaks, through their
artwork.
According to the famous anthropologist H.J. Malincrodt, the
indigenous people of Kalimantan, the Dayaks, can be classified
into six subtribes: the Kenyah, the Ot Danum, the Iban, the
Murut, the Punan and the Klemantan,
The Dayak living in the hinterland of Kalimantan still adhere
to their ancestral animism, which in some areas is known as
Kaharingan, which literally means "water for living".
The adherents believe in the existence of spirits and souls,
which inhabit certain objects of nature, such as big boulders and
trees.
Art creations displayed at the museum comprise decorative and
religious items ranging from traditional weapons, lavish bead
work, to statues, toys, masks, coffins and other items which are
used by the people for various religious and spiritual
activities.
The ironwood statues representing human beings and animals are
part of the Dayak's ancestral religion. There are basically a few
types of statues in Kalimantan: statues for traditional
ceremonies, decorative statues and family statues which are
personifications of ancestors and deceased members of a family.
The items represent a variety of symbols. Symbolization is
lavishly exercised during rituals of worship in these
communities. Masks, which are among the most important trappings
of rituals of worship, have symbolical significance which is
associated with morals and the unceasing conflict between good
and evil.
The traditional houses of the Dayaks in which such rituals are
held are adored with figures bearing themes embodying the various
meanings of and relationships in life.
Symbols as expressions of tradition have always attracted the
attention of anthropologists. Numerous studies have been made of
such symbols for the purpose of gaining insight into the
background of the ethnic traditions.
Traces of Micronesian culture are found in various stone
statues and structural forms from the country's eastern-most
province Irian Jaya.
The exhibition displays a large number of works produced by
the Asmat, the Dani, the Yah'ray and other tribes.
Among the distinguished works is the ship of the soul which is
symbolically used to transport the dead on their journey to the
hereafter. A 20-meter tall tree house of the Korowai people
stands outside the exhibition hall.
All the exhibits will be presented by UNESCO to the National
Museum as part of its collection of traditional arts.
On a whole, the exhibition is worth seeing despite its
shortcomings. Poor promotion and the absence of catalogs that
would give visitors the chance to understand the exhibits have
stopped people from visiting the museum.
In a society that largely ignores museums, more serious
efforts to lure the public to the museum must be made, otherwise
all significant programs held there could be for nothing.