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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