1995.94 Man's shoulder or hip cloth (hinggi)

The primary motif of this striking hinggi is the skull-tree (andung). The motifs refer to headhunting, which was a widespread practice in Indonesia before its suppression by Dutch colonial officials. In the past, skull-trees were erected in the center of the village, the dead trees stripped of leaves and bark and enclosed in a base of stones. Skulls on the hinggi represent defeated warriors hanging from the trees, symbolizing the future well-being of the community.

The two primary colors of a hinggi are blue (wara) and a rust-colored red, which was highly prized. Red was obtained from the roots of the kambu tree, while blue was extracted from both wild and cultivated indigo. The tan color was daubed on the cloth after weaving was completed. Perhaps this was Sumba's answer to the gilding of cloth that one finds in Sumatra.

Roslyn A. Walker, Label text, 2016.

n.d.: Van Lier Collection, Amsterdam

1995: Dallas Museum of Art, purchased from Pacific American Corp. (Steven G. Alpert), Dallas, Texas

Notes:

The main source for this provenance is the correspondence from Steven G. Alpert to the Dallas Museum of Art dated November 5, 1995, in the Collections Record object file (1995.94).

Apply to objects where number equals 1995.94