 |
2. Eastern Maluku Tenggara On the eastern islands the depiction of 'later ancestors' was largely the same as that described in western Maluku Tenggara. Here, too, there was a distinction to be made between ancestor statues with and without a fixed, permanent place, while there were great similarities in the way in which the two categories of statue functioned in society. Differences There were differences, however. In the first place the design in eastern Maluku Tenggara was generally less detailed and more robust. Refined woodcarving like that on Leti and Lakor was rarely found on Tanimbar, Kai and Aru. A second difference was that statues of later ancestors which had a permanent place could not only be made of wood, but also of stone. Soft coral, which was available everywhere, was frequently used for this purpose. A last difference concerns the 'portable statuettes', which in the west of the region served as battle amulets. Besides these lethal little male figures, associated with 'heat', in eastern Maluku Tenggara there were also portable female figures. They belonged to women who carried them about in a basket and they probably served to promote the fertility of their owner. We shall illustrate the similarities and differences on the basis of the culture of Tanimbar, where statues of later ancestors were made on a large scale and about which we are relatively well informed. Tanimbar walut The best-known Tanimbar statues of later ancestors are called walut. These figures are generally a few decimetres tall (RMV 2235-1c and 1d). Usually walut could be found on the shelf above the family shrine, tavu, or were placed in a special place high in the house. Just as in some western islands, houses in the Tanimbar archipelago were furnished with an opening (in the roof) through which the ancestral 'shadow' could come into the house and enter the statue prepared for him or her. Walut could be made of wood or stone and the ancestor was usually depicted in a crouching position. In many instances the elbows are resting on the knees while the raised hands clasp an offerings bowl (RMV 1348-22). The sex could be depicted and the status of the deceased was sometimes referred to by the addition of a few small details, mostly jewellery. The number of decorated ancestor figures on Tanimbar, however, has remained relatively limited. It is interesting that in the period of conversion to Christianity statues with the same distinguishing signs as those in western Maluku Tenggara were also made on Tanimbar. A head covering and chair apparently served on all the southern islands to reflect the Christian identity - and as such the superior social position - of the deceased (RMV 1296-59). 'Hot' statuettes Small portable statuettes of 'invincible' male ancestors in all sorts of materials could be found on Tanimbar. They were made out of wood, ivory and sea cow bone, among other things; as in the western islands the majority were only a few centimetres in height. The figurines were kept in special bags which hung on the tavu and could only be touched by the owners - the 'unauthorized' would be struck dead by the 'heat' of the statuettes. Besides the statuettes of 'strong' ancestors, the 'death bag' also functioned as a place of storage for other 'hot' items (mainly roots and leaves) and the neck vertebrae of the ancestor after whom the owner was named were usually kept in the bag as well. Taking the bag full of ancestral power was essential for the success of every enterprise thought to be dangerous, in particularly head-hunting or hunting animals. For the latter activity a so-called wandrar, a double statuette carved from wood and about five centimetres in height, was carried. Both ancestor figures represented distant forefathers with an impressive reputation for hunting. 'Dead mothers' Besides male portable statuettes, there were also portable female figures on Tanimbar. Although there is no information available on the identity of the depicted ancestors, we can assume that they were probably related to the so-called 'dead mothers'. This was a particular category of female ancestors consisting of the deceased 'mothers' of women who had married into the patrilinear family group. Offerings were made to them in all situations concerning fertility. For example, they were carved in stone or wood and placed on the tavu, where they were asked for an abundance of offspring. It is very likely that the small female statuettes that a woman carried in her bag, also depicted these 'dead mothers'. | |
