culture and appreciation

I used to be a looser :(. I never really appreciated my own culture until I am abroad. It feels very proud when other foreigner able to appreciate what we have as an entity (in term of culture and values). To be able to appreciate our own culture and values is not easy. Youth might tend to see it as an old fashion-outdated (alias ketinggalan jaman).
Once upon a time, I uploaded my pictures using this traditional clothes on my facebook. I got abundance of admiration responds from my beloved foreigner friends and some of my Indonesian friend. However, I was extremely upset as some of my other Indonesian friends put improper comment such as addressed me as an ondel-ondel.
Well, this is me and this is what I am. I am so proud being what I am (who have thousands of unique cultures and languages). I would not called myself as an Javanese but I am nusantaranese (woohoo I invented another vocabulary). I can be Acehnese, Bataknese, Padangnese, Lampungnese, Java, Sundanese, Balinese, Dayak, Bugis, Ambonese, Papua, Timorese. I am so proud to be with them and I feel very rich as well!

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1030425&id=675018181&ref=mf

autumn in corvallis

From sabang to merauke, ethnique-exotic-deli"fabrics"cious (3)

Ulos Batak: Ulos rujat dan ikat

The Batak people of Northern Sumatra have a history of weaving Ulos ni tondi (Cloth of the Soul) for ritual & ceremonial purposes that dates back to their earliest history. Batak myth tells that Lake Toba is the centre of the Earth & that the Batak are descendants of the first humans. The Toba Batak People live on Samosir Island & around the shores of Lake Toba.Weaving is still a vital and imporant part of the batak way of life.

Traditional Toba Batak Ulos (cloth) is hand made on a body tension (back strap) loom using hand dyed thread. Often villages produce only one or two Ulos designs, slight variations are seen between weavers. Some pieces have limited availability. Natural dyes are used in combination with commercial dyes. Twinning & braiding are techniques specifically used by the Batak. Women are the traditional weavers, children and men assist in twinning and spooling. Ulos have ritual & ceremonial meaning and are worn as head, shoulder or hip cloths. Batak people are proud of and cherish their own personal Ulos and weaving traditions.

Today you can see a fabulous array of personal Ulos being worn at ceremonies and celebrations, or being used as everyday carrying cloths and clothing.

From sabang to merauke, ethnique-exotic-deli"fabrics"cious (2)

Kain Bidap Bengkulu

http://www.indokain.com/various/index.html#bengkulu

Bengkulu 'bidap' - silk weft ikat, gold thread work - Interesting piece. Ikat (silk) center area, uncommon gold work.

From sabang to merauke, ethnique-exotic-deli"fabrics"cious (1)

LIMAR Palembang

The kain limar of the Palembang region of Sumatra are highly prized weft ikat silk selandangframed with gold supplementary threadwork. Kain limar w/ green center (widow's cloth) .

Lines of Acehnese Songket

Glory of Baju Bodo

source:

http://http://www.angingmammiri.org/lomba/?cat=4

Malabbiri memang tongngi

Tulolona Sulawesi

Mabbaji ampe mabbaji ampe

Alusu’ ri pangadakang
Tulolona Sulawesi..Tulolona Sulawesi..
Malabbiri memang tongngi

Tulolona sulawesi

Mabbaju bodo mabbaju bodo

Nakingking lipa’ sabbena..

[Lagu daerah Sulawesi Selatan : Tulolona Sulawesi]

Sepenggal lirik lagu yang menggambarkan seorang dara mengenakan baju bodo dan lipa’ sabbe.
Baju bodo adalah baju adat Bugis-Makassar yang dikenakan oleh perempuan. Sedangkan Lipa’ sabbe adalah sarung sutra, biasanya bercorak kotak dan dipakai sebagai bawahan baju bodo.
Konon dahulu kala, ada peraturan mengenai pemakaian baju bodo. Masing-masing warna manunjukkan tingkat usia perempuan yang mengenakannya.1. Warna jingga, dipakai oleh perempuan umur 10 tahun.2. Warna jingga dan merah darah digunakan oleh perempuan umur 10-14 tahun.3. Warna merah darah untuk 17-25 tahun.4. Warna putih digunakan oleh para inang dan dukun.5. Warna hijau diperuntukkan bagi puteri bangsawan6. Warna ungu dipakai oleh para janda.
Selain peraturan pemakaian baju bodo itu, dahulu juga masih sering didapati perempuan Bugis-Makassar yang mengenakan Baju Bodo sebagai pakaian pesta, misalnya pada pesta pernikahan. Akan tetapi saat ini, baju adat ini sudah semakin terkikis oleh perubahan zaman. Baju bodo kini terpinggirkan, digantikan oleh kebaya modern, gaun malam yang katanya modis, atau busana-busana yang lebih simpel dan mengikuti trend.
Walau dengan keterpinggirannya, Baju bodo kini tetap dikenakan oleh mempelai perempuan dalam resepsi pernikahan ataupun akad nikah. Begitu pula untuk passappi’-nya (Pendamping mempelai, biasanya anak-anak). Juga digunakan oleh pagar ayu. (dari berbagai sumber)