As in the culturally similar islands of SW Maluku and East Nusa Tenggara, traditional woodcarving in the Tanimbars once mostly depicted ancestors in the typically Austronesian sitting position. After the coming of Christianity, the original spiritual meaning of the carvings was lost, and indeed so was much of the art, with old pieces either destroyed by zelous missionaries or bought up by collectors, and no new ones made. In recent decades, there has been some revival of the art, partly fuelled by dealers and collectors desperately still seeking old pieces (so fakes are made for them) and partly by the more straightforward need for liocal souvenirs. The catholic church has actually supported the revival, which is centred on the village of Tumbur. Most of the new pieces there are of the grotesque, modernish "patung Tumbur" style, but the better carvers can produce fine, old-style pieces, too. Just make sure no one thinks you are looking for "antiques" - if so, you will be asked to pay huge sums for pieces that are also new, but are made to look old!
Quoted from : http://www.east-indonesia.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=161&Itemid=294
Supported by : JavaTourism, Lintang Buana Tours
No comments:
Post a Comment