Architecture of Banjar Traditional House

A traditional house of Banjar. This type of house is often called the high roofed-house (rumah bubungan tinggi) or “rumah ba-anjung” because the roof is very high and sharp, South Kalimantan

History and the Development of the Traditional House of Banjar

The traditional house of Banjar is usually called “Rumah Hubungan Tinggi “ because the roofs form a 45° angle. This form of the Banjar House began to establish during the 16th century when Banjar area was ruled by Prince Samudra who became a follower of Islam. He named himself Sultan Suriansyah with the title of Panembahan Batu Habang. Before he became a Sultan, he was a Hindu. He ruled the Banjar Sultanate between 1596 – 1620.

At the beginning, the traditional house of Banjar was a long house with the narrow sides as the front and back part. Later, they attached additional houses on the left and right sides of the house. Near the back part of the house, they also add an additional house that had the same length as the previous one. They called this addition “disumbi”.

The additional building (house) attached on the left and right of the main building are called Pisang Sasikat by Banjar people and since they are like pavilions, they called them “anjung”, so that the traditional Banjar house is usually called “Rumah Ba-anjung”.

Around the year of 1850, they built house around the Banjar Palace, especially around the Martapura Palace. But the “Rumah Ba-anjung” is the main building where the Sultan and his family live.

The Gajah Menyusu, Kelayan Dalam. A type of traditional house of Banjar people, South Kalimantan.

Some of the buildings around the Palace are the Palimasan which is used to store gold and silverware the treasure of Sultanate. The Balai Laki where the ministers live, the Balai Bini where the servants live, the Gajah Manyusu, where the close relatives of the Sultan live, they are the Gusti-Gusti and Anang. There are also buildings that are called Gajah Baliku, Palembangan, and Balai Seba.

Balai Bini, Benua Anyar Banjarmasin

Later, many houses are built following the same patters as the palace “Rumah Ba-anjung” so that this typical building is not only owned by Banjar people. The typical form of the Rumah Ba-anjung has spread to South, Central and Eastern Kalimantan with its original and traditional Banjar style is still clearly seen.


Rumah Ba-anjung is found in Pangkalan Bun, the old Kotawaringin and Kumai, in the area of Kotawaringin, central Kalimantan. These Rumah Ba-anjung became a familiar sight following the fraction of the Kotawaringin Sultanate from the older Banjar Sultanate when Banjar was ruled by Sultan Musta’inbillah between the year of 1650 to 1672 and succeeded by Sultan Inayatullah. The first Sultan of the Kotawaringin Sultanate was Prince Dipati Anta Kusuma.
The traditional house of Banjar were also found in Eastern Kalimantan because many people from Banjar moved here and made their houses in the same way as when they were in Banjar and so the Banjar type house had spread throughout Kalimantan. Nowadays the Banjar-type houses are rarely seen. Since 1930 they have rarely made new Banjar-type houses because of the high cost, difficulties in getting the suitable location and the impractical usage of that kind of houses.

Many Banjar-type houses are repaired and changed to match their need of modern living (in terms of the maintenance and healthy environments). Many families still maintain their traditional Banjar houses, but they live in their modern houses that they built near the traditional ones.

When we see come traditional Banjar houses in South Kalimantan, we can conclude that those houses must have been built before the year of 1930. We can still find them in Sungai Jingah village, Kampung Melayu Laut (Banjarmasin), in Teluk Selong village, Desa Dalam Pagar (Martapura), in Birayanf village (Barabai) and in Negara. They are in a very good condition, and the government has tried to subsidize them for their renovation and maintenance, but unfortunately the owner refused the help some uncertain reasons.

Observing the traditional Banjar houses, we can study their beautiful architecture and their ornaments.

The Construction of the Banjar House

The traditional Banjar House is entirely made of wood because wood is abundant in Kalimantan. Wood is the only suitable material for that kind of traditional house.

The construction is divided into four main parts, they are:
1. The body of the main skeleton of the roof, in line to the main building.
2. Additional building attached to the left and right of the main building are called the “anjung”.
3. Sharp-type roofs (45° angle) we called “Hubungan Tinggi”.
4. A long skeleton elongated from the main one in the front part of the main house is called the Sindang Langit.

The body of the house is something like an oblong is divided into rooms with different level.
1. Palatar (front porch or ‘pendapa’)
This is the first room directly above the entrance ladder. The room is 7 by 3 meters.
2. Panampik Kecil
A small room behind the Palatar with an entrance door (lawang hadapan). The floor is higher than the floor of the front porch. The front floor of this room is called the Watun Sambungan. This room is 7 by 3 meters.
3. Panampik Tengah or Panampik Panangah.
This room is behind the Panampik Kecil and it is wider. The floor is wider than the floor of the Panampik Kecil. The front floor of this room is called the Watun Jajakan.
4. Panampik Besar or Ambin Sayup.
The floor is higher than the floor of the Panampik Tengah. The front floor of this room is called the Watun Jajakan, the same term used in the Panampik Tengah. This room is 7 by 5 meters.
5. Palindangan or Ambin Dalam.
This room is behind the Panampik Besar. The floor has the same level as that of Panamik Besar (there are some that have higher floors than those of Panamik Besar). Since the frame of the door does nothave the same level as the floor of the Palindangan, they call it Watun Langkahan (one has to step over it to enter). The room is 7 by 7 meters.
Inside the Palindangan room, there are 8 capitals to support the “hubungan tinggi’. The capitals are called Tihang Pitugur or Tihang Guru.
6. Panampik Dalam or Panampik Bawah.
A wide room in which the floor is lower than the Palindang, but it is the same level as the Panampik Tengah. The front floor of this room is called Watun Jajakan. The room is 7 by 5 meters.
7. Padapuran or Padu.
This is the last room of the main house which floor is lower than Panampik Bawah. The front floor of this room is called the Watun Juntaian. Sometimes the Watun Juntaian is high enough to step on so that they need a ladder to enter.

The Padapuran is divided into 3 parts:
* The atangan – a kind of kitchen.
* the salaian – a place to dry fire wood.
* the pajijiban and the pagaduran – a palce for washing.
The toom is 7 by 3 meters.

The traditional house of Banjar have relatively different dimension. This is caused by the different standards of measurements, should be in off numbers. It includes thelenght, width, height, etc., also the numbers of the windows, ladder-step, etc.

If we measure the dimension of the main house, it usually has 31 by 7 meters. Each anjung on the left and right of the main house is usually 5 meters wide. The height of the floor under the anjung and the palindangan is 2 meters above the ground, but under the palatar, it is only 1 meter.

Dahi Lawang Balai Laki di Kuin Utara

Dahi Lalongkang Rumah Gajah Manyusu di Kuin Utara
Woodcarving has an important role in the traditional house in Banjar. A unit of a traditional house is not complete enough without the application of woodcarving. They carved the bottom side of the wooden wall and the sides of the roofs. The carving is called the “lis-lis” or in Banjar they call it “Papilis or Pilis”. The motif of the carving is continuous flames, flower, etc.

North Sumatera Cultural Art

The native people consists of all kinds of ethnic groups namely the Malayans, Batak Toba, Simalungun, Karo, Pakpak Dairi, Pesisir, Mandailing and Nias. They reside in their own area, nevertheless there is an assimilation among the migrants in some areas especially in big cities.

The majority of the population earn their living by farming. In the coastal area there are a lot of them who live as fishermen. And some of them carry on trade, become labourers and officials especially cities and plantation areas.

Since a long time ago North Sumatera has been open for the outer world. This is not only caused by the existing communication facilities such as the ocean harbours Belawan and Sibolga and the airport of Polonia Medan but, also Indonesian ethnic groups especially many of those from Java have lived in this province since the opening of the plantation in Dutch Colonial time.

Even later they have assimilated with the native people. Also many foreign citizens live here; especially in big cities. Plantations form the most important economical potential of north Sumatera. A big plantation area is especially found in plains in the Eastern part.

Like the other areas in Indonesia, North Sumatera is characterized with all kinds of art. And caused by the regional condition, the existence of a particular style of art is of nothing incredible in every region. Also various kinds of ethnic groups found in North Sumatra, have created sorts of art showing where the ethnic groups come from.

As a really open area for comers it is obvious that the influence of outer culture will easily enter this area. This influence is seen obviously on the nature of art inherited up to the present. This doesn’t mean that the original form of their art has disappeared. The inheritance shows that some tribes, especially in the inlands still practice the art. Like art life in other areas, the birth and creation of art in North Sumatra contains magic/religious and aesthetic aspects. These two values appear in all kinds of arts.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

According to the myth of the tribes, there were all kinds of antecedents of the people of North Sumatera.

Batak tribe for example believes that their ancestors came down from heaven to the top of mouth Busuk Buhit, and lived in Sianjur area. It first around Samosir island and later its generation developed and spread everywhere in its surroundings. Nias tribe believes that their ancestors came from them most beautiful heaven called Tetoholi Ana’a, and went down to the Gomo area in the middle part of Nias and later spread to all part of the island. Some of the Malayan tribe believes they were originated from the descendants of Iskandar Zulkarnaen who came down on the hill of Siguntang in Palembang.

Nothing could fix the antecedents of the people of North Sumatera, however, according to the historical of the spreading of the tribes like the other Indonesian people the ancestors were supposed to come from further India coming to this area in groups. Therefore people consisting of all kinds of tribes developed by themselves in their own areas.

As the result of the pluralistic condition art as moral expression of the tribes, they have their own various style and kinds. Like the various kinds of its tribes in North Sumatra there are all kinds of traditional art, namely Malayan art, Batak Toba art, Simalungan art, Karo art, Pakpak Dairi art, Angkola mandailing art, coastal and Nias art. These traditional arts have their own kinds, style and local characteristics.

War Dance, Nias

The style and characteristics of ethnic art, are later influenced by outer culture. The influence of the older megalithic art is found in the cultural environment of the population of Nias archipelago. The Hindu influence is felt especially in the Batak ethnic environment whereas Islam influence in the coastal populated area. Megalithic art for example has left its remnants in Nias in the form of stone monuments and sacrificial ceremony by scarifying a pig. Also in several places around Samosir there are statues and cemeteries of the ancestors. The Hindu influence is around in all kinds of aspects of life in this area. In all kinds of spoken language and medical books of Batak called Pustaha there are Sanskrit words. Even the form of the original Batak characters are very much influenced by Hindu, so are the textile handicraft.

The temples found in South Tapanuli are proofs of Hindu remainder in architectural field. The temple complex spread in a large area.

Some names of “marga” in Dairi and Karo, are considered to have originated from the influence of social structure in Hindu culture, such as “marga-marga” Brahmana, Padia, and Colia. So are the influences of religion and Islam cultures. Especially in the art of this area, there are all kinds and sorts of typical Islamic items. Gambus, rebana, adrah, bordah and qasidah are Islamic art of music. Whereas in field of art dancing for example there is one called “tari zapin” which is liked by people of the coastal area.

Batak traditional house

Mosque and palace are the products of Islamic architecture. The Grand Mosque in Medan and Azizi Mosque in Tanjungpura, with their beautiful ornaments have a high Islamic architecture, so are the Maimun on palace in Medan and the Datuk Lime Laras Palace in Asahan.

The Dutch Colonial rule later built some buildings in European style such as City Hall and Post office. Since this era, the new art had developed as individualistic among the middle class people who was living in the city. Whereas the traditional art was still supported by the ethnic group although it was not developed by the colonial government.

In general the new art forms activities on literature and play which develop in Medan. The well known play groups at that time were Keris (creese) Opera, Blue White, Miss Alang etc. The period of the Japanese occupation formed a paralyzing period for art. The people potential supporting traditional art grew weaker and weaker. Some kinds of art had disappeared and the appreciation of the people toward art was decreasing. The daily stress of life which was so burdensome influences the attention and attitude of people toward their traditional art.

After the fight for freedom especially after 1960s’ traditional activity being neglected for a long time and as the result of change in attitude and progress of the era gradually could attract the interest of the people. Probably caused by the strength of the Batak people in holding and applying their tradition, the spreading of art from one area/tribe to the other became difficult. Consequently, particular style of art of each area/tribe was created.

Sedudo Traditional Bathing Ceremony

Nganjuk Map, East Java - Indonesia

Sedudo Waterfall is situated about 27 kilometers south of Nganjuk, located at the foot of Mount. Wilis, at Ngliman, Sawahan district. This location is often visited by many of people especially during Suro, one of the months in the Javanese year.

This ritual bathing ceremony dates back to the time of the Majapahit Kingdom in the 14th and 15th centuries. According to the juru kunci (key keeper) of the Sedudo waterfall, based on the legend story, Ki Ageng Ngaliman - who spread Islam in Nganjuk - was used to meditate in the area. To regard his retribution, the district government and the public around, always held a traditional ceremony every Suro (Muharam). Also according to popular belief, Sedudo Waterfall was used to bath statue in Parna Prahista ceremony then the water spattered to the body of the family in order to grant eternal youth and safety.

The form of The traditional ceremony of taking up Sedudo sacral water is begin with 5 (five) sacred women bringing klenting, traditional water jars, dressed in Java traditional clothes, walk slowly to the pool under Sedudo waterfall. The 5 sacred women is following by 10 women with longhair. The 15 women are called Putri Tirtosasi (Tirtosari Princess). Five boys, called Jejaka Taruna, also dressed in Java traditional clothes are waiting for them under the waterfall. The procession is accompanied with Jidor, traditional drum and Sekar Mijil song. After the Tertosari Princesses gave klenting to them, they will take the water from the waterfall which is believed have savour. Then the water will dedicate as sacrifice.

This procession is led by the Regent of Nganjuk and followed by the local and the visitors who come from the whole Java. The form this procession is taking a bath together in the pool under Sedudo waterfall.

For information, contact:
East Java Provincial Tourist Office at +62 31 853 1814/853 1815.

Traditional Craft of South Sumatera

Since long before, South Sumatera has been known with its traditional crafts like weaving, plaiting, wood carving, ceramics and metal-craft. Hereditary, these art craft has not change much. It is caused by the fact that most of those products are utilized as equipments in the adapt ceremonies.

It has been mentioned about the tradition to decorate the adapt-house with wood-carving. This wood carving art does not only produce home decoration, but also furniture. Characteristics of South Sumatra wood carving art, especially that of Palembang, is the density and excessiveness of the decoration with see through technique using plant-motives with symbolism. The decorative impression is more conspicuous due to the application of different colours on the decoration. The most popular colours are gold-coating and red (lac), a tradition which supposed to be originated from Chinese decorative art.

Along the development of wood carving art, the songket-weaving art has also been developed, especially in Palembang where it later further expanded to the Meranjat OKI region. The songket-weaving art has been known already since the Sriwijaya period, when silk and gold yarns were used. The plant decorative motives seen at the woodcarving decoration appear again at the songket decorations. According to the applied decorative motives and their designs, several names of songket weaving are known as Songket Lepus, Songket Naga Berdaung, Songket Bunga jatuh, Songket Bunga Cina, Songket Bertabut, Songket janda berhias, etc. The songket weaving are available in the form of sarong, shawl and headcloth. In latest development songket weaving are produced for various outfits of divans, back and seat of chairs, table coats, etc.

Table - Wood Carving, Palmebang

Ceramic art of South Sumatra has been know since former times having produced daily necessity equipments like pitchers, cooking-pots, boilers, water-barrels, braziers, water-pitchers, money-boxers, etc.

Kayu Agung city is a centre of ceramic art beside Poya Kabung village which produces especially decoration ceramics. In the latest development, in Mentok and Sungailiat (Bangka) a sort of porcelain ceramics has been produced as industrial article. This fact is supported by the availability of high grade ceramic material in that area.

The plait-craft tradition started as side production efforts for own consumption. Bamboo and rattan are the main material to produce plaitware as baskets, mats, hats, dish-cover, bags, etc.

The Payung and Kelapa sub-districts of Bangka are well-known of their platcraft producing Kopiah (cap) made of resam, a sort of fern. Acquainted with foreign craft products and stimulated by the needs to sell, then furniture of rattan are produce, as chairs, beds, lamp-shades, book-selves, buffets, etc.

For the outfit of adapt wedding, beside songket weaving articles, the crafts of metal-smiths are also needed, which manufacture ankle and armbraceletsm brest-decorations, shoulder-decorations, belts, rings, hair-decorations (crown) etc. Materials used therefore are gold, silver, or brass blending with hammering, carving, shaping and welding technique. The Penganggon and the Gede decorations are outfits for adapt wedding, which demonstrate traditional decorative-art beauty-value being produced in the region of Palembang. The precious metal smithy art tradition has gradually disappeared. Palembang, the city once know as a centre of activity of this art, there is today rare of craftmen producing outfits for traditional wedding. Meranjat OKI is also known as a centre of gold-craft, beside being a centre of songket weaving, as mentioned before.

Solo - Central Java

This centre of Javanese culture has old colonial charm, the best of Southeast Asian warmth and the wide streets and well-planned squares of a small European town. Crumbly old-Dutch buildings and the two keratons of Kasunan and Mangkunegaran dominate the old town, surrounded by quaint streets lined with small houses with proudly manicured gardens.

Why, such a lovely name for such a close-knit and affable town. Solo, previously known as 'Surakarta' was indeed, living by its namesake, until recently. A result, 99.9% of the population of Solo, a naturally halus or well-mannered people, are not only extremely friendly to visitors but also free of the 'hello mister' attitude that comes with big tourist traps. People in Solo love a visitor.

This is a town made for the open-air. Sit in a becak or hop on the back of an ojek or motorbike taxi, stop for nasi liwet at a small side-street or sing your heart out at one of the obscure karaoke shacks and bars, open until dawn. Though many places are open all night, Solo affectionately goes by the old moniker 'So-slow,' precisely what gives it such lovable appeal.

Triwindu Antiques Market
Nestled in a labyrinthian market selling ball-bearings and car parts, the gems at Triwindu antiques market, appear even more dramatic and blissfully cheap compared to anywhere in Bali or Jakarta. On the fringes, next to a small stall selling greasy knobs and bolts, sunlight streams through Morrocan ceiling lamps saturated with color. There are venetian mirrors and transistor radios. A stall sells reproduction antique, hefty stone Buddha heads and brushed brass ganeshas of all sizes, next to a small case containing three, silk 1930s clutch-purses with delicate crystal embellishment (except that now there are two).

There are hip 1960s cocktail sets, straight from the pages of interior design magazines and about a tenth of the price of the same set in NYC or London. There are silver peacock-shaped door handles in painted wrought iron, gold vintage brooches and limestone elephants.

Because most of the goods from Triwindu are superior-quality, reproduction antiques and the rest genuine bric-a-brac from the last 60 years, prices are low. Sellers from all over come to Triwindu to sell their handiwork. It is worth a weekend trip to Solo just to furnish ones house with goods from Triwindu, or get a year's worth of gift-buying over in one morning. The sellers never harass and are open to bargaining.

Pasar Klewer
According to the tourism board, Pasar Klewer is the biggest batik and textile market in Indonesia. This may not be wholly true but it could possible be the friendliest. Ask to see a sarong and a podgy old lady will roll out the whole bunch and happily put them back when one walks away. Prices here are low. Expect to pay Rp 30.000 for a printed soft-cotton sarong or Rp 50.000 for a silk ready-made top.

Pasar Klewer (Klewer market)

Keraton Kasunanan
Javanese culture, dance, and music permeate the lives of the timeless occupants of the palace, from the guards to the royal orchestra. there are few things to see here, save for a few random artefacts and a large canoe. The palace is far more haphazard than the smaller mangkunegaran. It's unconventional charm, however, calls for a romantic stroll with the sand in one's toes. Gamelan practice is from 9am - 2pm daily.

Keraton Kasunanan

Istana Mangkunegaran
Mangkunegaran is perhaps the more cosmopolitan of the two Karatons of Surakarta. Mangkunegaran shares close ties with political powers of the past few decades.

Istana Mangkunegaran

Around the time of the Chinese rebellion against the Dutch, Raden Mas Said, the first Mangkunegaran Sultan, born in 1725, persuaded the powers that be to stop the war by signing the Salatiga treaty, during which time he became a sultan. He was like his successors to date, entitled to have his own city square, establish a women's centre, sit upon the throne and raise a pair of sacred banyan trees.

Though modelled on a typical keraton with fortress walls and a ceiling with a fire motif (each color represents a positive attribute and brings peace to the palace) Mangkunegaran went through major architectural changes during the colonial period and exhibits European decorative features typical of the period.

MASK OF MALANG

Some collection of Malang masks for Mask Dance performance

Mask (topeng) as a product of fine arts is not only used as decoration, but also as the equipment of dance and theatre in some performances. In Malang, to be exact in the Kedung Monggo village, Pakisaji sub-distric and in the Jabung village, Tumpang sub-distric, lots of Topeng are made to use for the performance of an opera or “wayang topeng”.

The mask of Malang (topeng Malang) has special characteristics, such as their thick wood of randu wood (capok tree) or “cangkring”, which is rather dark in colour, with a carving on the forehead which is specially bulging, fashioned with a square chin and high cheek- bones. Some mask needs some ritual to make the carving mask has a magic power.

Decoratively, Malang masks are unique. They are different from any other mask art found in Java. There are five typical colurs used to deco rate the masks. The red colour symbolizes courage, the black colour symbolizes determined ambitions, the yellow colour symbolizes wisdom, the white colour indicates purified character and the green colour indicates peace.

The form of its throne and the expression of the mask especially the construction of “gelung” and “janang” and the eyes are not far different with the thrones of wayang on the relief of Jajagu temple. This is not surprising since the Jabung is located near Jajagu temple.

MALANG MASK DANCE

Malang Mask Dance (Wayang Topeng Malangan)

Malang is famous for its dances. The topeng performance has a strong dramatic value, its performance pattern is good, while the garment music have special characteristics. The carving mask usually made to be used in an opera or "wayang topeng". What is interesting about the mask dance is that all the dancers representing some characters wear masks.

Klono is the evil archrival of Gunungsari and Panji Mask Dance Drama

The characters in Malang theatrical mask dance are 64 and they play the roles of 64 figures in Panji tales. As in wayang kulit, the story is narrated and sung by a dhalang, who recreates the stories passed orally to him from generation to generation. The dancers do not speak themselves with the one exception of the clown, Patrajaya, who wears a half-mask allowing him to speak. While the other dancers move with grace and style, Patrajaya plays the fool: knock kneed, buck teeth, an old cloth tied loosely around his head, he provides the comic relief. New stories are improvised from time to time and old ones built upon to create something new.

* Find out how the traditional mask dance of Malang is staged at the Padepokan Seni Mangun Dharma in Tulusbesar village, Tumpang Sub district, Malang.
Location: Tumpang Sub Distric , Malang