Dayak Ngaju Ceremonial Rattan Mat

Dayak Ngaju Ceremonial Rattan Mat (Tikar Ngaju)

Culture: Dayak Ngaju, Central Kalimantan, Borneo
Date: Late 19th – Early 20th Century
Materials: Hand–split rattan, natural and indigo–dyed fibers
Technique: Plain weave with supplementary weft patterning
Dimensions: 195 × 99 cm

Description

This rare ceremonial rattan mat represents a highly sophisticated example of Dayak Ngaju ritual weaving, distinguished by its monumental architectural narrative motif. The central composition depicts a traditional Ngaju longhouse (betang) rendered in stylized geometric form, complete with tiered rooflines, vertical support posts, and a central stairway leading into the communal interior. Beneath the structure appear seated anthropomorphic figures, symbolizing household members, ancestral spirits, or ritual participants.

Flanking the longhouse are two stylized pohon kehidupan (trees of life), emblematic of cosmic balance, fertility, and ancestral continuity. Surrounding the architectural core are bird motifs in flight, widely understood in Ngaju cosmology as spirit messengers that mediate between the human and upper spiritual realms.

The lower register features a complex repeating border of geometric lozenges and triangular forms, signifying protective thresholds and territorial boundaries. These motifs form a symbolic perimeter, reinforcing the mat’s ritual function as a sacred ground cloth rather than a utilitarian domestic object.

The restrained palette—natural rattan tones contrasted with deep indigo-dyed patterning—demonstrates refined control of dye absorption and weaving tension, evidencing an accomplished master weaver.

Cultural Significance

Such mats were traditionally used during major ceremonial events including:

• Tiwah (secondary burial rites),

• Ancestral invocation ceremonies,

• Installation of community leaders,

• Ritual feasting and spirit appeasement rites.

They functioned as sacred platforms upon which offerings were placed and ritual leaders sat, serving as symbolic gateways between the living community and the ancestral realm.

Provenance & Rarity

Narrative architectural mats of this scale and iconographic clarity are exceedingly rare, particularly in intact condition. Most surviving Ngaju mats are fragmentary or lack representational imagery, making this example of exceptional ethnographic and collectible importance.

Condition

The mat remains in strong, stable condition with uniform surface wear, well-preserved dye saturation, and no structural losses. Minor tonal variations are consistent with age and ritual use.

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