Architecture of South Sumatera Traditional House

Palembang architecture

Traditional architecture is usually built according to and following the norms inherited by their ancestors and followed by the local society.

Beside pile-houses, where living-rooms are over the ground-surface, and the space under the houses is for keeping tools and animals, other characteristics of the traditional building of South Sumatra (Palembang) are the differing heights of the floors.

The part with the highest floor at once indicates also the most important part. The house can be observed as being divided into 3 parts, namely the front-veranda in the front, the middle part and the rear-veranda, which are successively functioning as follows:
The front veranda for the guests and the sons, the centre is for the parents and room for the brides or for prominent guests, and the rear-veranda for the girls and the kitchen.

The parents are the most respected persons, therefore the highest place for them. A limasan roof covers the middle part, which is drawn forward and backward to covering the front and the rear-veranda, shapes the monumental form of the house.

The shape formed by the extension of the roof, confirms the concept of room-hierarchy inside the building.

As the traditional houses in other areas especially of the classic style, art elements are never forgotten, particularly in religious buildings, palaces and houses of nobles. The art elements not only function as decoration to beautify the building, but also bear symbolic meanings. Even social status factors are reflected inside.

Thus the case we observed on buildings in South Sumatra which are full of wood carving with golden colours. Chinese motives and European motives are blended in one with traditional motives, which further gave the birth of Pelembang characteristic motives.

Like most of the traditional buildings in Sumatra, the traditional house or adapt-house in South Sumatra shows characteristics of timber buildings with pole construction, i.e. house built on poles with space under the floor.

Building material is mostly lasting timber as the tembesu wood (Lat, Fragraca), the tenam (Anisoptera) or the seru (Schima bancana) which are usually utilized as mast, cross-bar, rib, frame and partition board. As roof they commonly use bamboo or gelumpai with palm fibre layers.

Based on the shape of the roof the traditional houses in South Sumatra are classified into the limas an (pyramidal) – type and the tatahan (encrusted) type. Viewed from the front, the limas an type has the shape of a pyramid. The tatahan type has a Minangkabau-styled shape of its roof, i.e. a pointed roof-ridge and a bent down roof-centre.

The volume and size of the house depend on the social status of the inhabitant. This can also be identified through the quantity of the interior decoration of the house.

As the case in the traditional house of Riau and Jambi, the ground plant of the house shows some divisions. The most front is the front-veranda introduced by the house-ladder. From the front-veranda we enter the men’s hall (jogan) and further to the main-room (kekijing). Behind the main0room there is the rear veranda (garang) with the kitchen. The floor of each room differs from the others, it means that the front part has a low floor and the main room has the highest floor.

Of the South Sumatra’s traditional house, its interior decoration is quite attractive. This decoration has the form of wood carving with a so called see-through transparent carving technique bearing plant motives as sunflower, bamboo shoot, etc.

Decoration art in a Palembang traditional house is an integration of elements of Javanese and Chinese arts. Wood carving decoration combined with contrast colours like gold-coating and red lac (lak).

Floor as sitting place with rug-underlayer, back-cushionsiopes with stars-motive.

Tapis - Traditional Weaving of Lampung

Lampung had a rich and varied weaving tradition and its has its own traditions, high valued handicraft and art creations such as woven cloth, interwoven by gold threads called "tapis". For the Lampung community, tapis cloth reflects the status of the owner. Take Tapis Raja Medal, for example. This particular type of cloth may be worn only during traditional ceremonies by the upper class of the indigenous Lampung ethnic group, such as family members of traditional community elders or tribal chiefs. Even among the upper class, there are special rules that must be observed when wearing the cloth.

Traditionally, Lampung textiles were used as part of religious ceremonies such as weddings and circumcisions.The type of the ceremony will determine which tapis cloth should be worn. For weddings and cakak pepadun, only Tapis Jung Sarat, Raja Medal, Raja Tunggal, Dewasano, Limar Sekebar, Ratu Tulang Bawang and Cucuk Semako can be worn.

Tapis Raja Tunggal, Lampung

If a piece of tapis cloth is worn for a cangget, an event in which a dance is performed to honor an important guest, then it must be one with any of these motifs: Bintang Perak, Tapis Balak, Pucuk Rebung, Lawek Linau or Kibang. For elderly women, the tapis worn is usually Tapis Agheng, Cucuk Pinggir or Tapis Kaca. If a piece of tapis cloth is worn when it should not be, a traditional sanction will be imposed on the wearer. He or she will be admonished by the other members of the community. If, for example, someone who has yet to meet the traditional requirements for wearing Tapis Medal insists on wearing it during a traditional ceremony, the cloth may be taken off in public.

The Pucuk Rebung motif, a symbol of prosperity, remains the main motif used in tapis cloth today. Also still popular nowadays is the spiral motif, the symbol of worship of the sun and nature. The decorative motif of the Tree of Life is also believed to signify the unity and oneness of God, the creator of the universe.

However, modernization has caused tapis cloth to lose its sacred quality. Today, it is worn not only by noble families and traditional community elders, but also by lower class Lampung people. There is a difference, though.

The thread used to embroider the cloth worn by traditional community elders is usually mixed with gold but for ordinary people, the thread is gold in color only.
Despite this difference, the motifs embroidered on tapis cloth worn by ordinary people are still beautiful. However, the cloth may only be worn for certain traditional rites, such as bumammat, an event in which youngsters recite the Koran in a traditional hall in the presence of community elders and others as evidence that they can read the Koran.

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.

Palembang Songket Handwoven Textile

Traditional weaving Tools

The songket-weaving is a traditional craft work. It has been known already since the Sriwijaya period. The materials utilized are usually gold and silk yarns. The original characteristics of Palembang songket can be detected by observing the motives on those textiles. According to the applied decorative motives and their designs, the motives reflects roses, chained stars, waves and bamboo-shoots. 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.

Demonstration of the technique to use the weaving tools

The material are gold and silk yarns

Palembang songket sarongs are not used daily, but at certain ceremonial events only, e.g. at traditional (adapt), wedding, religious ceremonies. 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, bags etc.

Hand bags songket

Songket patterns may be categorized in a number of ways. Some motive of Songket patterns:

Lepus bintang berante	Limar bintang berante
Limar cantik manis	Kenango makan ulet
Batang kayu apuy	Bungo jepang
Pulir	Biji pare
Nampan perak	Bungo cino
Bungo intan	Tabur limar
Lepus berakam	Cantik manis
Nago betarung	Bungo pacik
Tigo negeri

SOUTH SUMATERA CULTURAL ART

The Ampera Brigde in the evening.

It spreads above Musi River, Palembang (South Sumatera)

Cultural Background
The South Sumatera Province encloses the inlands in the west and south parts which consist of hilly upland plains, while the north and east parts are swampy lowland plains and coast areas. Opposite the shore are the islands Bangka and Belitung.

The natives of South Sumatera consists of several tribes having there own dialects as the Komering, the Ogas, the Pasemah, the Musi, the palembang, the Lamatang, the bangka, the Belitung, the Sekak and other dialects.

Means of existence of the people aremainly trade and fishing. Nowadays there are also labourersartisans and government officials among them.

The geography of South Sumatera contributes to the shaping of a cultural type, which reveals not only local patterns, but also foreign elements as the result of acculturation.

The early development of culture in South Sumatera started from prehistory. Megalitic cultural heritage in several districts of South Sumatra shows high level culture, leaving monuments and stone objects, beside stone sculptures of different style compared toother magilitic stone figures at Java and Sulawesi.

Si Pahit Lidah's foot printed on the stone

As the case in other regions, the presence of stone figures is always associated to folklores. So is the “Si Pahit Lidah” (The Bitter Tongued”) legend known among the people of South Sumatera, telling the story of stone figures as the curse of “Si Pahit Lidah”. The magalitic stone figures of South Sumatera explain that the people living in the last stone period and early bronze age, mastered already the skill of stone chiseling. The clothes figured on the sculptures also reveal the life and behaviour of the people in the past according to their needs.

The skill of erecting stone buildings and chiseling stones developed further after the arrival of a new – Hinduist and Buddhist backed-up-culture. South Sumatera became one of the new religions central in Indonesia under the reign of the Syailendra and Sriwijaya dynasties. Above mentioned culture did not leave many stone temples and statues unlike the case at java; this remains the problem being discussed among experts.

The fact that cultural heritage of that age is still rare or undisclosed does not mean that we have no sources of knowledge concerning its art development. The aesthetic standard of art products of the Sriwijaya golden age is still known through traditions of various art-crafts inherited to the next periods.

The most strategic location of Sriwijaya in the traffic of trade opened the opportunity for the emergence and growth of traditional crafts within the royal circle and among the common people as well. In its development this art-craft tradition has been enriched by foreign elements of art-craft, from countries outside Indonesia as well as from within Nusantara itself.
Various types and patterns of ornaments appearing on tradition buildings decorations and furniture show the integration of those elements of artcraft.

Decorating motives originated from pre-Hindu, Hindu and from other foreign cultures, as from China and Siam are blended in various traditional decorations art designs in South Sumatra. These decorations appear on products of weaving art, ceramics, wood-carving, plaints, etc., showing decorative motives being typical of South Sumatera, as sunflower, melati, bamboo shoot, crinum asiaticum, fern and other motives. Chinese influence prevailed further along the development of trade. This influence evolved various skills in craftsmanship as of furniture craft and building construction. The role of Chinese art appears in the shape on buildings as the minaret of the Palembang Grand Mosque with its pagoda-typed dome.

Dragon, squirrel and funix bird are some examples of the so-many Chinese decorative motives appearing on furniture in South Sumatera.

With the development of Islam, the art of South Sumatera has been further enriched with elements of Islamic art. Beside plastic art, qasidah and rebana became new assets in the development of art in this region.

Arabic calligraphy assumes an important role through various techniques in mosque and home decorations. The old art still plays its role in art activities within the Islamic society. Al of these has become tradition which reflects the nation’s character for being open to various art influences from outside, without neglecting own identity. The arrival of Europeans – though it did not effect directly the building and development of art in South Sumatera – it brought changes in the expressions of artists. Art craft and decorative art, beside high standard dance and music, were not maintained, and suspended as frozen traditional art, many of the were even destroyed.

The new culture brought European style into city buildings as houses, offices and churches which were erected by architects who entirely did not know about the tradition of construction art in this area.

Conservation of art were poorly maintained, as traditional values win less appreciation in the development of new culture. Education in colonial time removed art further from society life. The effect was that social appreciation toward own art was no longer developed.

Traditional art will regain its meaning and value in the society, when the nation concerned starts being aware of the glory of the inherited tradition. The bearers of tradition should remind themselves of the art and cultural values ever owned by their nation.

Natural art tradition needs to be re-expressed through various efforts principally by revitalization. In this case, education needs to play its role beside direct steps in the remaining central of traditional art activities.

Through art education, traditional art will not only regain its place in the society, but will also be able to generate creativities to produce new forms of art expressions, without neglecting its own regional art identity.