18 Sulawesi Masterworks in Yale University Art Gallery
18 Sulawesi Masterworks in Yale University Art Gallery
Curated by Steven G. Alpert
For the month of April, Art of the Ancestors offers a selection of exemplary artworks from Yale University's outstanding collection of Toraja and Toraja-related material culture from the island of Sulawesi. Yale's collection is an aggregation of material from this setting that reflects the aesthetic traditions of Sa'dan, Mamasa, Kalumpang, Tae, and Toala speakers, who are often collectively referred to as the Toraja, which alongside items from the Poso and Kulawi regions to the north form the basis for both Yale's collection and our own Sulawesi gallery.
Originally, the name 'Toraja' was a generic appellation applied by coastal communities to non-Islamic groups living in the high interior of the island. The area is historically remote and managed to evade Dutch control until 1905. For visitors who arrived after independence and soon after the Sukarno years, this region, while embracing Christianity, was still replete with Megalithic-rooted traditions.
The university's Indo-Pacific collection features nearly 200 items of what is most likely the largest aggregation of this material culture in the United States. Works of exceptional merit, whether in the realm of wood or textiles, reflect the Toraja's time-honored worldview of 'aluk to dolo' or the 'Way of the Ancestors'. Pre-Christian ideas of the pursuit of balance were practiced through the celebration of the Rites of the East (all that is fecund, prosperous, protective, and life-enhancing) and the rites of the West (the direction of death, mortuary practices, and all memento mori). The Thomas Jaffe collection at Yale is truly notable as it contains a number of unique and masterful works from this period.
These masterworks can be viewed as emotionally complex items of extremely fine craftsmanship. They often embody functionality and artistic sensitivity in equal measure. In former times, high-stemmed polished wooden bowls (dulang) were used for feasting. Small dishes for vegetables and specialties were also carved and set beside them, particularly for high-ranking members of the aristocracy. The finest example of these bowls at Yale is shaped like a leafy presentation packet of food being wrapped in a banana leaf to be distributed during a feast. This bowl is doubly anthropomorphic as it has four strong legs (like a buffalo), but with the handle's neck terminating in a well-defined human face. It is believed to be a unique piece.
Another outstanding example of the harmonious sensibilities of the Toraja is a door to a rock tomb or heirloom storage area. Here, a female aristocrat is depicted astride a buffalo radiating ethereal beauty. So simple. So perfect. Other figures of particular note are the largest free-standing Mamasa memorial figure known and an early torso of a tattooed funerary figure from the Rembon, where the finest figures and doors were once made. A granary door depicting a Toraja buffalo (tedong) symbolically projected the status and wealth of its owner while magically protecting the house's contents from being stolen.
Fine ikat textiles were traditionally woven in the Kalumpang and Rongkong areas. Yale has a number of old pre-revival period examples. Large ikat (sekomandi, paporitonoling, pori situtu') were used primarily as burial shrouds but were also highly sought-after trade items, used as dowry wealth and as witnesses to ceremonial events. Two fine examples of these ikat blankets are included here for their age, lively geometric designs, rich color, and excellent condition. Other textiles for wear or display during ceremonial occasions range from a well-tied sarong to a rice-paste resist dyed pio puang banner and a tie-dyed banner known as a roto.
Arguably the most interesting textile art from this region, and a testament to Toraja genius, are the sarita banners and so-called mawa' or maa' cloths. These are paintings or rice paste-created resist designs that aristocrats commissioned at great expense to maintain the Rites of the East. These textiles are often associated with the planting and harvest seasons, the buffalo herd's fecundity, abundance, balance, astronomical observations, and interrelated agricultural cycles. Their format and constellation of motifs were initially influenced by painted and, in comparison, prosaic Indian trade cloths and stamped chintz. Over time the Toraja managed to imbue their creations with an elasticity that reflected their own worldview. Sarita and mawa are binding elements between events and visual prayers that ensure blessings. They deeply reflect the fertility of the landscape. At their best, they can be charmingly populated with figures, domestic scenes, fields, and herds. Yale has a very interesting mawa' believed to be of Javanese origin. It depicts Toraja warriors and most likely dates to the 18th or early 19th century. It is evidence of the trade between the highlands and the coast.
Toraja still retains its culture within a memorable landscape. East of Borneo, to the north of the Lesser Sunda (Nusa Tenggara Timor), and northwest of Java, Sulawesi resiliently hangs over the archipelago like a spidery creature. It is an extraordinary land where an ancient geological collision took place, marking the coming together of Indonesia's Eastern and Western halves. The island is also home to many unique species of flora, fauna, and natural wonders. Diverse traditions continue to be expressed in the 114 distinct living languages spoken there. New evidence is also emerging that suggests a very early date of human occupation. It is here that the oldest figurative cave paintings on earth have been recently found, with some believed to be dated more than 45,000 years old. A visit to Yale's superb material from Sulawesi is in order. If the spirit or a sense of adventure takes one on a journey to the Toraja highlands, it's a highly recommended destination.
— Steven G. Alpert, founder of Art of the Ancestors
1
Funerary Effigy | Tau Tau
Toraja peoples
Wood
Promised gift of Thomas Jaffe, B.A. 1971
ILE2012.30.144
2
Ceremonial Food Dish
Toraja peoples
Wood
Promised gift of Thomas Jaffe, B.A. 1971
ILE2012.30.445
3
Rock Tomb or Granary Door
Toraja peoples
Wood
Promised gift of Thomas Jaffe, B.A. 1971
ILE2012.30.215
4
Funerary Effigy | Tau Tau
Rabung near Rantepao
Sa'dan Toraja peoples
Wood
Promised gift of Thomas Jaffe, B.A. 1971
ILE2012.30.732
5
Rock Tomb or Granary Door
Toraja peoples
Wood
Promised gift of Thomas Jaffe, B.A. 1971
ILE2012.30.720
6
Ceremonial Weaving | Papori Tonoling
Galumpang Toraja
Cotton; warp-faced plain weave, warp ikat
Gift of Robert J. Holmgren and Anita E. Spertus, New York
2017.48.3
7
Spoon with Figurative Handle
Toraja peoples
Wood
Promised gift of Thomas Jaffe, B.A. 1971
ILE2012.30.446
8
Ceremonial Weaving | Papori Tonoling
Galumpang Toraja
Cotton; warp ikat
Robert J. Holmgren and Anita E. Spertus Collection, Promised gift of Thomas Jaffe, B.A. 1971
ILE2006.4.33
9
Metal and Semi-Precious Stone Bracelet
Toraja peoples
Metal and semi-precious stones
Promised gift of Thomas Jaffe, B.A. 1971
ILE2014.8.24
10
Waist Wrapper | Sarung
Minahasa
Cotton; warp-faced plain weave, warp ikat
Robert J. Holmgren and Anita E. Spertus Collection,
Promised gift of Thomas Jaffe, B.A. 1971
ILE2006.4.67
11
Hanging | Mawa' Jawa
Toraja
Cotton; batik
Robert J. Holmgren and Anita E. Spertus Collection,
Promised gift of Thomas Jaffe, B.A. 1971
ILE2006.4.45
12
Hornbill Charm
Toraja peoples
Wood
Promised gift of Thomas Jaffe, B.A. 1971
ILE2012.30.144
13
Woman’s Tunic | Halili
Palu Toraja
Cotton; appliqué and embroidery
Robert J. Holmgren and Anita E. Spertus Collection,
Promised gift of Thomas Jaffe, B.A. 1971
ILE2006.4.97
14
Head Ornament | Sanggori
Bada peoples
Brass; cast
Robert J. Holmgren and Anita E. Spertus Collection, Promised gift of Thomas Jaffe, B.A. 1971
ILE2019.12.53
15
Festival Banner | Roto
Rongkong Toraja
Cotton; balanced plain weave, tie-dye (plangi)
Promised gift of Thomas Jaffe, B.A. 1971
ILE2012.30.76
16
Rock Tomb or Granary Door
Toraja peoples
Wood
Promised gift of Thomas Jaffe, B.A. 1971
ILE2012.30.216
17
Rock Tomb or Granary Door
19th century
Toraja peoples
Wood
Promised gift of Thomas Jaffe, B.A. 1971
ILE2012.30.161
18
Half of a Festival Banner | Pio Puang
Toraja
Cotton; batik and plangi
Robert J. Holmgren and Anita E. Spertus Collection, Promised gift of Thomas Jaffe, B.A. 1971
ILE2006.4.37
All artworks and images presented in this feature are the property of Yale University Art Gallery.
© Yale University Art Gallery