Epaku, Engganese Women Jewel head (Tribal art)

Epaku

Epaku (Enggano language)

object name	jewel, jewel head
dating	for 1888
material	wood, tin, tinfoil, feathers
dimensions	Dm cylinder 10.5 cm H 19.5 cmH without feathers feather 73 cm
acquisition	1889 INSUL donation
geographical origin	Enggano
cultural origin	Enggano

Enggano is a small island west of Sumatra. Once everyone lived in the interior.Now the Engganezen coastal dwellers. Late nineteenth century, diseases like cholera and malaria rowed the original population of almost. From the old Enggano is little known. Only a few elderly residents of the island to tell about the previous situation. Most are the things that they heard as children from their grandparents. The displayed objects are unique testimony of a lost culture in the last century.

Defeat an enemy and come home with a war trophy was Enggano very important. They thought the fertility of women by promoting. The survival of this community was dependent on the conduct of war. The reputation of a man based entirely on war successes. The enemy is depicted in reports include daggers and women's hats.

Engganese women wearing epaku (from modigliani 1894)

Copy from Condensed reality : a study of material culture. Duplicated by Tun Jang

Such headgear for women has been shown here. It was worn during the harvest ritual. During the dancing made the women rolled their head, which sticks with chicken feathers that adorned the hat is swept back and forth. The wooden hat is a haarknotje slid down and put in a wooden or bamboo pins. The carving is topped with imported tinfoil. The figure suggests the hat for a war trophy, or a defeated enemy.The importance of this symbolic image was great. It was because the fertility of the wearer and thus promote the survival of society secure.

Reference :

• Museum Kenis
• Book a study of material culture