Ceremonial Rattan Mat From Dayak Ngaju

Ceremonial Rattan Mat

Dayak Ngaju, Central Kalimantan, Borneo

Date: Early–Mid 20th century
Dimensions: 198 × 104 cm
Material: Hand-split forest rattan
Technique: Hand-woven twill and supplementary pattern weaving
Condition: Very good; strong structural integrity with even patina and minor age-related softening to fibers consistent with ceremonial use

Description

This rare ceremonial rattan mat represents a masterfully woven ritual textile of the Dayak Ngaju people of Central Kalimantan. Executed in natural rattan fibers with contrasting darkened pattern work, the mat displays a sophisticated narrative composition arranged in horizontal registers, an approach traditionally reserved for high-status ceremonial mats.

The central field is dominated by repeated figural scenes depicting water buffalo, human attendants, shield forms, and symbolic weapons arranged in rhythmic procession. These motifs are interspersed with powerful serpentine and zigzag bands, interpreted as representations of naga (dragon/serpent spirits), river currents, and spiritual pathways between the human and ancestral realms.

Lower registers present large zoomorphic figures flanked by spiral and labyrinth motifs, symbols associated with protection, continuity of life, and spiritual guardianship. The upper and lower borders are framed by tightly patterned geometric bands, reinforcing the mat’s cosmological order and ritual containment.

Cultural Context

Among the Dayak Ngaju, ceremonial mats of this scale and narrative complexity were traditionally employed during major mortuary rites, secondary burial ceremonies (Tiwah), and aristocratic rituals involving ancestor veneration. Such mats were laid in ritual houses to serve as sacred ground upon which offerings, heirlooms, and ceremonial regalia were placed. The depiction of buffalo signifies wealth, sacrificial importance, and the spiritual journey of the deceased, while the human figures represent ritual officiants guiding souls to the upper worlds.

Mats of this complexity were typically woven by highly skilled women for noble families or ritual leaders and were not intended for everyday domestic use.

Significance

This mat stands as an exceptional example of Dayak Ngaju ritual artistry, combining narrative iconography, cosmological symbolism, and refined technical weaving. Its preservation, balanced composition, and iconographic clarity place it among the higher-tier ceremonial mats seldom encountered in the contemporary market.

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