Ceremonial cloth used for gift exchanges: Large rectangular cloth of muted brown colours with central panel of very fine black and white ikat resist dye and at either end a panel of cream coloured cloth decorated with geomtric designs in muted brown and red colours. [JP 21/3/2003]

Collection type: Object
Description: Ceremonial cloth used for gift exchanges: Large rectangular cloth of muted brown colours with central panel of very fine black and white ikat resist dye and at either end a panel of cream coloured cloth decorated with geomtric designs in muted brown and red colours. [JP 21/3/2003]
Long description: Large rectangular textile, made as is common with ulos ragidup textiles, of four seperate components that have been sewn togther after production. The two side panels (running lengthways) are a plain woven brown cotton textile. The outer edge of these side panels have a narrow black border, the inner edge has three narrow bands of supplementary warp decoration in brown, black and cream and of a gometric design, and a single band of plain woven black textile. The ends of these side panels have five bands of supplementary weft decoration in cream and red yarn alternately. The middle section of the textile consists of three parts: two end panels of cream textile covered with rows of geometric designs executed in supplementary wefts in red and brown yarn, and the centre panel which is composed of laterial bands of very fine ikat resist dyed 'arrowhead' patterns in cream and black against a brown base. Either end of the entire textile has a narrow twined border of black red and cream, and are finished with a fringe of the warp threads. [JP 21/3/2003]
Geographical reference: Indonesia
Asia > South-eastern Asia > Indonesia; Sumatra / Sumatera Central Sumatra
Cultural groups: Batak
Person: Field collector George Wood; Field collector Felicity Wood; PRM source George Wood; PRM source Felicity Wood
Date / Period: Date made: Before 1980
Date collected: 1980
Acquisition information: Donated: 2003
Materials and processes: Material Cotton Textile Plant, Material Pigment, Process Woven, Process Twined Woven, Process Ikat Resist Dyed, Process Stitched, Process Supplementary Weft Woven
Dimensions: Length x Width 2160 x 1300 mm
Object numbers: Accession number: 2003.69.18 Other numbers: S (B) 9
Research and responses: A Selendang is a multipurpose cloth but is usually worn folded and pleated over the shoulder. Ulos is the Batak word for cloth. 'Traditional ulos cloths decorated with simple warp-ikat or extra-weft patterns ... are essential wear at weddings and funerals. Ulos cloths are also prescribed articles in the complex series fo gift exhanges that takes place at these and other important ceremonies that mark rites of passage.' The ulos ragidup is the most significant ritual cloth. Ragidup means 'pattern of life'. At weddings it is presented to the groom's mother by the bride's father, confirming that the two sides of the family are now linked. Source: Traditional Indonesian Textiles by John Gillow, Thames and Hudson 1995, page 74. [JP 21/3/2003]
When a woman is seven months pregnant with her first child her parents present her with an ulos ragidup and this becomes her 'soul cloth'. 'The designs of the textile are thought to spell out her future and are 'read' by a knowledgeable elder.' Source: Splendid Symbols: Textiles and Tradition in Indonesia, by Mattiebelle Gittinger, The Textile Museum, Washington: 1979, page 99. [JP 21/3/2003]

Search terms: Textile, Clothing Textile, Ritual and Ceremonial, Marriage, Shawl, Ceremonial Object