ASMAT --Art Decoration

                                                    By: Bonifasius Jakfu

The next art elements that have an important role in expressing the turmoil of the human soul is the art of decorating. In the language of Asmat art decoration, commonly called Cesai meaningful jewelry. As for all the elements that give a sense of art decorating termed Cesai Pak or Toso Pok, the term was later developed in accordance with sections and media became objects of decoration. For example Kus Cesai Pak - headgear, Vemak Cesaipak - neck jewelry, Sop Cesaipak - jewelery arm / hand, Asa Cesaipak - hip jewelry, and Emon Cesaipak - jewelry calf / foot). All types of jewelry is jewelry Cesai --Dam body. As for other jewelry has its own terms, Ci Cesaipak - decorating the boat, Je Cesaipak - custom home decor, Po Cesaipa --paddle decoration , Esa Cesaipak - noken jewelry.

Without makeup that support, then the body, custom homes, boats, paddles and camshaft will appear dull, unattractive, even troubling. Stately homes without a touch of artistic decoration, will look like an old building. Dancers stage without Dem Cesai - corresponding body decoration, will seem less attractive, not beautiful as a spectacle. Noken and boats without makeup artistic, would reduce the value of art, do not give satisfaction and peace for the user.

In the culture of the Asmat, the disclosure of the elements of art without the touch of décor or cosmetology, then the aesthetic value contained in them will lose their meaning. Dancers without makeup, carving / sculpture without dressing, singing and beating drums without makeup is impossible in the art of the Asmat culture. Decorative arts have a very important role in the disclosure of other artistic elements.
There are some important things in the art of decoration on the traditions of the Asmat. The first, related to the source material, especially before knowing the outside world, the Asmat community utilize the entire material basis of the nature surrounding decor. To create a tassel or Awar / Tjok - waist jewelery, craftsmen utilize Pisis / junum - young sago leaves, cuus pom - leaves of sweet fruit, no matter - leaves of grass blades. The leaves have a beautiful color as the base material decor.

Community Asmat have a decorative tradition in some media. The media most often a place of artistic expression among others of the human body, sculpture or carving, boat, paddle, camshaft and custom homes.

Decorating the Human Body

At each performance art, each actor will look special with traditional makeup. The whole body will be filled with unique ornaments, covered in a mix of three colors, esakam - red, fasak -white, and jak / figure - black. In principle, it tells a story about the appearance of self-identity and mood. There is no lie or speculation in attitude, although the words were spoken state differently. For the community Asmat body decoration rather than as an expression of aesthetic, but as an affirmation and soul in a statement responding to the dynamics of life.

The red color is also called adult, made of red soil through the combustion process in such a way that gets the corresponding will. The white color is called bii, made of seashells combustion process - the snails were pounded into a powder-fine white. While black - figure / jak, made from grain combustion process sago fronds or cutlet / twigs particular timber according to local traditions.

Each part of the body worn jewelry or ornament suitable support shared values. Jewelry dominant in chief of the artists in the current stage is a combination of leather and fur Vacin - polecat and see fin / jinis –bristel of Pombo, white birds, bird feathers plumage Beors jinis -nuri JiR fin – white cockatoo. At face common smeared with colored chalk given as a statement of intent atmosphere and personal or group. The dominance of red color reflects the expression of bravery and self-sacrifice in every way to achieve a goal. Black domination is indicative of waging a challenge to the other party. Instead decorate the face with white chalk reflects the friendship, sincerity, sincerity, kedamain with other parties.

The nose piece is equipped Bipana - nose jewelry which symbolically gives information about high social status in the community. In the past bipana made of Oow okos - wild boar tusks or fangs chant okos - a python. Today artists can make bipana imitation of a plastic material that is much lighter. According to Mr. Cassian Amepo of Kampung Botarpes - Jani early Novermber, 2014, that artificial decor was not auspicious again. Processes and procedures are at risk borne by the artist to give weight to the artwork. This jewelry was a semi circle with a second dead end not seen each other, tend to be flat and sharp. Two expressive meaning is contained in the position where the canine bipana. The composition of the semi-circle open up reflect a threat to the other side, opposite the open position to the downside indicating friendship.

Another headdress commonly used is jinit, the form of woven leather strap spun fum seman - genemo, shaped like a hat with a certain variation. Watch the other is pii jii, decorations chief form of woven fastener head equipped cassowary feathers tassel. This kind of jewelry will always appear when staging traditional dances.

Decoration of Carving

Without Asmat carvings decorating or dressing will look like "timber without value". That is the work of sculpture or carving it does add weight to the value of more inviting sympathetic and self-admiration and observers. Carving decoration adapted to the meaning of the statue shown, so that the said statue has its own allure. An artist should be able to admire works of art created, before the observer or art collectors expressed admiration. The artist is the subject who witnessed the great work of the universe in the form of the cosmos and then translate the works imitativ cosmos.

There are two important things commonly seen in sculpture decoration, ie the use of dyes, tattoos and ornaments. First, in terms of coloring like a statue carved Mbis, jeer Mbi, Wuramon, pears and other kinds of carving color selection tailored to attention, that the red, white and black, each representing moods artist or mood all community residents. The fact the dominance of certain colors always show inclination mood. Wasa color - red tends to underscore moods and attitudes - not the nature for situational factors alone, such as courage, self-sacrifice, and the threat or challenge to the other party. Bii color - white tended as an expression of tolerance, friendship, peace, honesty, sincerity, and value system, promote ethical, moral and religious values ​​and reposition any other person as a creation of God Almighty. Color jak figure - black tended as an expression of the state of mind or soul troubled, gloomy, threatened and challenges for others, just as the meaning of the color red. The composition of colors reflect moods. The composition of colors as an expression of the inner atmosphere is sometimes not recognized by the actors, because this symbolism has been fused with the everyday attitudes and behaviors that are not necessarily recognized or realized the artists concerned.

Second, kiki - tattoos as an extra decoration on the carving of Asmat also has value to. Aesthetically kiki -tato are scratches or cuts grooves tertenu pelumuran decorative colors. From the philosophical aspect, kiki actually means reveals a rift personality that comes from body parts carved objects concerned. Kiki as a sign of the tendency of the value of certain behavior and personality shown through the body color of the scratches. Various forms of kiki is a dot, comma, lines, and a full circle on the head --chick, hand - arm, elbow, and wrist, leg thighs, calves, knees and ankles, chest, ribs and back.

Traditional Home Decor

Asmat community dwelling house is not decorated special, the grounds, first, the beginning of the survival strategies of local communities is hunting and gathering, to move. The house is not a physical building that serves as a place to settle. Quite as a stopover when hunting and gathering strategies underway. Second, community Asmat defend in war as well as traditional headhunting, a precarious situation that causes stayed home decor becomes neglected. Decorating the family home in view as acts of violating the customs, a disgrace to be avoided.

However jew - Asmat traditional house has a different function, although a survival strategy, hunting, gathering, and headhunting is still ongoing. Jew as a center of community life is a symbol of the presence of at once the embodiment of Je Ahmit - the sun god. One main thing in the art of decorating is to decorate jew, the main pillars carved ancestral spirits implanted. Though have stayed in the realm of the spirit, but the ancestral remains present in today's life.

The Jew decoration materials, among others, pisis - sago leaves Young, James -s alawaku / shield, Amon-Ces - bow-arrow, ocan / Puu - spear, Bii - chalk white, red -- wasa. Before display pisis separated between the bones - a stick of leaves, then torn so that it becomes part of a small and delicate, without releasing it from the main stalk - sago fronds. Pisis ready displayed or hung on some positions, such as Ko Jee - terrace, Beerpo -stairs, Bisip-Joose - furnaces, Jee Jimasap - doorway.
Materials other decorations are James - salawaku-shields. James is a war equipment that has a protective function and penghalau attack the enemy. Salawaku display is not without a postulate, but as a symbolic form of self-defense from enemy attack.

New Boats

The main means of transportation in the community life of the Asmat is a canoe. Without boat hunting and gathering activities can not be continued, the said activity is always done with the rivers and the sea, the canoe is the main means. By rowing boat each family not only gather food, but can also visit relatives who live across the river. As an important means of transport worthy boat decorated with pisis.

Without a paddle boat lose function, are not capable of acting as a means of mobility. Instead dayungpun will not work without a boat. Paddles can also function as a spearhead in a critical situation when a paddler received threats from water or land animals.

Po cesai - rowing decor looked at three parts. First po ben - - decorations on the bottom that resembles a leaf. Both ma po - decorating the oars in the middle of the form, round sticks. Third, po epmak - rowing decor that resembles the top of the spear. Po mben - the lower end serves as the pickup and release water that causes the thrust, so that the boat was moving from its original position while traveling. This section lasim relief panels carved with an image of butterflies or stingray wings unfurled, as hope, that the spirit of the animal in question would give momentum deliver paddler quickly.

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