BETEL NUT BOXES; The Chosen Collection

BETEL NUT BOXES 
Tempat Sirih - Pinang 
THE CHOSEN COLLECTION OF SIWALIMA MUSEUM

Introduction

The using of “sirih-pinang” (sirih=betel leaf / Piperaceae and pinang=areca nut / Areca catechu Linn) is not only known in Maluku but also through the whole Indonesian archipelago, South east Asia and Melanesia. Since when “sirih-pinang” were used by our ancestor in Maluku is not known. Sirih and pinang are chewed together with a mixture of lime, tobacco, betel flower (fruit) and others.  

Nowadays, “sirih-pinang” are not only for daily enjoyment but it also functions as medicine, prestige, social interaction, initiation rituals, offerings to the soul of the ancestors and religious rituals  and customs.The “sirih-pinang” plays a central role during all those rituals. As a media of enjoyment “sirih-pinang” is used either by men and women. The using of “sirih-pinang” in the city has been replaced by cigarettes, but is still alive in the villages.

The Chosen “sirih-pinang” Collection

1. Wlaya

This “sirih-pinang” media originates from Iblatmumta, Babar island in South Western Maluku. It is called “wlaya” and is only used during sacred rituals. This triangle “sirih-pinang” media is formed by three stages; the upper stage symbolizes the place of the deities and Upulera (the cretor), the center stage symbolizes  the place where humans live and the lower stage is the place of the souls of the ancestors as the source of power, strength, protection and prosperity. The accompanying media are a bamboo tube to put in sopi (alcoholic drink derived from palmwine), a “sirih-pinang” pounder and “kain basta” a piece of cloth considered sacred.

 

2. Tampa Tabaku

A small “sirih-pinang” and tobacco basket originates from the village Klis on the island of Moa South Western Maluku. It is made of plaited pandanus leaves and especially made for a wedding ritual.

3. Epo

A “sirih-pinang” bag made of woven tree fibers. The surface of the bag is smeared with animal blood. It has 2 pockets. Stuff usually brought in this “sirih-pinang” bag are “sirih-pinang”, tobacco, knife and matches.

4. Tempat Sirih

Plaited “sirih-pinang” box made of pandanus leaves adored with geometric motives. Originates from the island Buano. It is made for daily use or to sell as souvenir.

5. Tempat Sirih

Plaited “sirih-pinang” box made of pandanus leaves adored with geometric motives. Originates from the island Buano. It is made for daily use or to sell as souvenir.

6. Lopa Lopa

Lopa-Lopa, sometomes called Barua is a “sirih-pinang” bag typical to Ambon and Seram island  . Made of sago material (water proof). Used during hunting in the forest or fishing at see. It contains “sirih-pinang”, tobacco and matches.

7. Tasi

Made  of red tarpaulin by the Nualu tribe of Seram island. The Nuaulu tribe is considered the native tribe of Seram. Tasi is made to take along “sirih-pinang”, tobacco, matches, magic spell, an amulet and other stuff when they go hunting. It is said that this bag will boost out colored rays of light when an evil spirit is in the neighborhood. 

8. Pota

A betel nut box made of red colored sewed pandanus leaves. Red color are sacred to the Nuaulu tribe of Seram island. This “sirih-pinang” is only used during wedding rituals.

TRADITIONAL WEAVING

Kowalwaan, a spinning wheel

Kanune, cloth made of fibers of the palm leaf

Weaving to cover a dead person (shroud)

Hand weaving is a cultural inheritance that once existed in any part of Maluku. Today, this cultural aspect is dying, except in the South Eastern parts of Maluku. According to the rule stated by the ancestors, a girl is not allow to marry before she masters the art of weaving. Threads for weaving are from wild cottons. The tribes in Seram used fibers of the wild sago palm leaf. Fabrics of sago fibers are called “kanune” originally originating from west Seram.
Before people were able to spin threads from fibers and cotton they used tree bark as basic material for making clothes (loin cloth). Tree bark cloth from Seram is called “cidaku”. Preparing the cidaku they had to use “batu cidaku” (stone pounders).
      A weaving cloth is also used to as tool of payment, dowry etc. Sometimes a cloth is adored with sea shells.

THE SULTANATE'S OF NORTH MALUKU

Centuries before the coming of the white people (Europeans) Maluku was ruled by the sultans of North Maluku. There were four sultans: The sultan of Tidore, Bacan, Jailolo and Ternate which was the most popular. He had a widespread influence and ruled a quite big area. Today the Ternate Sultan’s palace functions as a museum. Ternate ruled also over Ambon and Seram island.

Symbolic Meaning of the Exterior Decorations

The Main Gate
Siwalima Museum is located at the hill of Taman Makmur, some hundred meters above sea-level. from afar, people can see its main gate, where both sides are adored with 2 guardian statues. right above the gte are 7 arrows pointed towards the sky; symbolizing the crystalization of siwa and lima (9+5=14:2=7).

Garden Statues of Siwalima Museum

Garden Statues

At the center one can see a group of garden statues consisting of a "kowalwaan" (spinning wheel), a "babal" (drum) and a "lirena" (sacred house pillar). The kowalwaan signify that the art and technique of weaving, as a home industry, has been well known for centuries. The babal, besides a music instrument, also functions as a medium of communication and information. Lirena contains an important meaning in the socio-cultural and religious life of the Maluku man. The main house pillar is the most important structure to support and strengthen a house; architectually and spiritually seen. That's why the making of such a pillar must follow certain rules based on traditional-religious concepts.
The enlarged spinning wheel symbolizes traditional weaving industry. The patterns and colors of the weaving are of high value of natural indigenous art.
On the other hand, the combination of Babal, Lirena and KOwalwaan represents a vertical relationship between man and his creator and a horizontally relation between man and his natural environment.

The Ethnographic Exhibition Hall
The display system of the ethnographic exhibition hall is not based on geographical conditionas of Maluku but on groups of types of collections. Furthermore, these collections are displayed in a story-telling system; a story about man, nature and his culture. And that became the theme of this exhibition Man, Nature and Culture.
Our story will start with the happenings of today and slowly step by step enters into the pre-historical times, even unto the space and time when God created this planet for us to live on. Reaching this point in history, our story will “flash back” passing the centuries of cave-man, developments of man’s culture until recent days.
Subjects of this exhibition are: Usu Mae Upu, houses and household tools, the Sultanate of Ternate and Tidore, dressing and traditional weaving technique, jewelry and handy craft, magic tools and weapons, food-gathering, evolution of planet earth, evolution of man and caveman, religion, music instruments, history, local pottery and foreign ceramic and numismatic materials.

THE EXHIBITION

Usu Mae Upu

Betel-nut Box

Entering the hall you’ll be greeted by “usu mae upu” (please come in Sir). This is a welcome greeting. A betel-nut box as a sign of friendship with next to it an ancestor statue, is an invitation for you to enter the world of Maluku.

A King’s sleeping room
Until today the term “radja” is still being used to address a village head. A radja is a representative person of the whole community and of it’s social and cultural aspirations. This exhibition starts its story by representing a king’s sleeping room. Because we believe that life, normally, starts in a sleeping room. The furniture here are not all local made some are from other places of Indonesia, as well as from Europe. This explains that since centuries ago Maluku had received many cultural influences which still remain until today.

The sitting room
The sitting room is filled with collections of the Dutch colonial period. But the walls are built by using “gaba-gaba” a sago palm material. Herewith we can understand that natural materials such as sago are of good quality and decorative to build modern houses.

Houses
The typical Maluku house, in miniature, shows that 90% of the building materials are of sago palm material. Formerly, the houses in Maluku were built on poles as a mean of protection against wild animals and enemies. Baileu Siwalima is the village community house. The 9 poles at the front and back and 5 at the sides represent the siwa and the lima social groups. At the other corner you can find a miniature of the “kakehang” house, where the original one is in Hila-Kaitetu, at the northern coast of Ambon island. Kakehang is a village secret organization where it’s members are only men. This organization is an element of the old religion based on “head-hunting”. In taking new members of the kakehang-ship, all boys between the age of 13 – 15 years, must attend a ceremony held in the rumah kakehang which will last for several days. In order to finish this ritual, the boys must go out head-hunting. And when they successfully return from a head-hunting raid, they will be accepted as men. Shortly, this is an “initiation ritual”. And from this time on the boy (now men) will be wearing a loin-cloth made of tree bark, especially made by the “mauweng” the village shaman.

Miniature of Wapa Uwe Mosque

Islamic influences entered Maluku around 1465. The Islam were brought by Arabian merchants. In those days Ternate (in North Maluku) was the center of commerce of East Indonesia archipelago, so the spreading point of Islam in eastern Indonesia was Ternate. Islamic influences became more and more stronger because the Sultan of Ternate became Moslem too. In not a too long period Islam spread over the colonies of Ternate including Seram and Ambon island. It is interesting to tell that since 1414 a mosque already exists in Ambon. “Mesjid Wapa Uwe”is the oldest mosque ever build in Maluku. It is now one of the most unique historical religious objects of Maluku.

House hold tools

In general, the kitchens of Maluku still have the shape of what is being represented here. The tools are also quite the same. “Lesa” is one of the oldest types of tables. It is made of plaited mid-ribs of palm leaf. A well known Ambon proverb says “kalau dapat meja putih, jangan lupa lesa”, meaning if you are educated, have a good job, live in a big city, you may not forget your lesa (adat or tradition).