An Antique Toraja Panel 

An Antique Toraja panels from North Toraja - South Sulawesi - Indonesia

Age : earlier 1950’

Size : 150 x 144 x  5 cm

Condition : 96%

Carving Design : Pa' Tangke Lumu'. Tangke Means Branch. Lumu' means moss / alga. This Carving looks like brances of moss in the water. Metaphorically, Moss is regarded as a vast ricefield whice gives multiple outcome. Meaning : It hopes that the family always leads a peacefull life like an unseparable chain. Whenever how hard life is, family stick together and keep growing.

Description : This Toraja Panel called Sane' . Sane' is part of the Rice Barn, which is a Traditional Building from Toraja for Keep rice / paddies inside. In other words, rice Barn is called "Alang". Sane Positions is underneath the alang, in other Words, meanwhile we sit in the alang flatform, we can see a beautiful carving above us.

Alang / Rice Barn is Always stand facing the " Tongkonan". As we know, Tongkonan is Traditional house of Toraja Tribe, with their front gables towards the South. Tongkonan is the traditional ancestral house, in other words, Rumah adat of the Torajan people, in South Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Tongkonan have a distinguishing boat-shaped and oversized saddleback roof. Like most of Indonesia's Austronesian-based traditional architecture, tongkonan are built on piles.

Construction of An Antique Toraja panels 

Antique tongkonan constructed by laborious work and it is usually built with the help of all family members or friends.

In the original Toraja society, build a tongkonan cost alot of money. Therefore, only nobles had the right to build tongkonan. Likewise the nobles, Commoners live in smaller and less decorated homes called banua. Tongkonan are customarily built facing north-south.

Dominating the entire structure is the saddleback roof with gables that are dramatically upswept. Consequently, The internal space is small in comparison with the overwhelming roof structure that covers it.

Interiors are typically cramped and dark with few windows. However, most of daily life is lived outside the homes, with interiors simply intended for sleeping, storage, meetings and occasionally protection.

Platform Below the rice barn, is Used for sitting, Working, conversation / Gathering on Ceremonial, and many more funcition further. For instance, are used for sleeping ( when Funeral Ceremony held ).

The rice barn are status of symbols, and also token of real wealth.

"This A Toraja Antique Carved Panel are perfect to be placed at back of the bed, or some your faforite room. The Spread of patina form this panel are perfection. Color shift between bright and light soft colour unity in this toraja Panel.  As the Result, this toraja panel carving are the best product we have at the moment." Torayata 99

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