Sekomandi
Ceremonial Hanging (2006)
The Toraja Karataun people live in an isolated, mountainous section of West Sulawesi barely serviced by the Indonesian state. Highly self-reliant, they grow their own food, educate their own children, and cultivate their rich culture and beautiful textile tradition. Mountains and administrative boundaries separate the Karataun from the other Torajan peoples, the Toraja Sadan and the Toraja Mamasa.
Ceremonial Hanging (2006)
- Tied, dyed, and woven by Megawati
- Saluleke village, West Sulawesi
- Warp ikat
- Cotton, natural dyes
- 152 x 197 cm. (60 x 77 in)
- Code # T.SW.BI.081
The nearest market town is four days travel by foot, jeep, and motorbike from Megawati`s village, Saluleke, West Sulawesi
The name sekomandi refers to the brotherhood of the surrounding villages. Early sekomandi were used to wrap the ’’sick’’--as the Torajans refer to the dead who have not yet been buried--but in recent generations their function has changed. Today, these large cloths decorate the bride’s bower at traditional marriages, and trade hands as wedding gifts. The primary motif on this sekomandi is called dassi bone, after a wild chicken that lives along lakes and streams.