Cultural History In Focus | “The Symbolism of Baduy Adat Clothing: On the Efficacy of Colours, Patterns and Plants” by Jet Bakels from Weaving Patterns of Life

Woman weaving a Suat Songket at Outer Baduy Village Gajeboh. Jet Bakels, 1988.

The Symbolism of Baduy Adat Clothing

On the Efficacy of Colours, Patterns and Plants

by Jet Bakels

This article derives from Weaving Patterns of Life: Indonesian Textile Symposium 1991.
It is generously provided here by Jet Bakels.

Making pot-holes with sticks during the rice planting activities (ngaseuk), performed at the resettlement village Gunung Tunggal, outside the traditional Baduy area. Clothes are made with bought fabrics, but the adat-colours are still respected. Jet… — Making pot-holes with sticks during the rice planting activities (*ngaseuk*), performed at the resettlement village Gunung Tunggal, outside the traditional Baduy area. Clothes are made with bought fabrics, but the *adat*-colours are still respected. Jet Bakels, Gunung Tunggal, 1984.

Two Inner-Baduy men during a visit to the local government, outside the Baduy territory. All their clothes are hand-woven. A white turban, jackets, striped aros loincloths. Jet Bakels, Lebak, 1983. — Two Inner-Baduy men during a visit to the local government, outside the Baduy territory. All their clothes are hand-woven. A white turban, jackets, striped *aros* loincloths. Jet Bakels, Lebak, 1983.

Rice Barns at the entrance of a Baduy Village, Jet Bakels 1983.

Outer Baduy man, Jakri, with his daughter in front of their house in Cikadu, Outer Baduy Territory. He wears a poleng loincloth, and the adu mancung belt. Jet Bakels, 1988 — Outer Baduy man, Jakri, with his daughter in front of their house in Cikadu, Outer Baduy Territory. He wears a *poleng* loincloth, and the *adu mancung* belt. Jet Bakels, 1988

Outer Baduy village. Baduy girl in sarung merong, printed in Jakarta, especially for the Outer- Baduy. Jet Bakels 1988.

Outer Baduy jaro (traditional leader) with his daughter, Outer Baduy village of Kaduketug, Jet Bakels 1984. — Outer Baduy *jaro* (traditional leader) with his daughter, Outer Baduy village of Kaduketug, Jet Bakels 1984.

Jet Bakels

Jet Bakels (Phd) is an anthropologist, and works as a curator, researcher and author of museum catalogs, and also of nonfiction books for children. Currently, she serves as a scientific researcher for the Dutch Center for Intangible Cultural Heritage. She has also worked with, and for, various museums and scientific organizations, including the Museum for World Cultures in Leiden, Teylers Museum in Haarlem, Artis Zoo Museum of Man and Nature in Amsterdam, the University of Leiden, the Moluccan Museum in Utrecht, and Museon in The Hague.

Her area studies specialization is Indonesia. She learned Bahasa Indonesia at Bandung University and conducted extensive fieldwork on Java (Baduy), in Sumatra, (Kerinci, Nias, Mentawai, Minangkabau, Kubu), and amongst the Moluccan communities in the Netherlands. She wrote her MA thesis on the Baduy, published several articles on their culture and art, and made exhibitions on the symbolism of their material culture and world view in Jakarta and The Hague. The relationship between humanity and the natural world has been her special interest. She wrote her doctoral dissertation on the role and meaning of tigers and crocodiles in Indonesian context (2000).

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