Exhibited collection of the Ethnic Statues and Decorative Design Exhibition

The 13th Exhibition of Indonesia's Ethnic Statues and Decorative Designs

On Sunday November 8, 2009 the 13th Exhibition of Indonesia's Ethnic Statues and Decorative Designs was opened to public. This is a traveling exhibition participated by (almost) all Provincial Museums of Indonesia. The exhibition has travelled through 12 Provinces of Indonesia. Last year, 2008, the exhibition was held in Jayapura, the Province of Papua. This year the exhibition took place at Museum Negeri Provinsi Maluku Siwalima in Ambon, the Moluccas participated by 25 Provincial Museums of Indonesia plus the National Museum of Jakarta.

After church service at about 16.00 pm, on Sunday November 8, 2009, the hills of Taman Makmur, the location of Museum Siwalima, is crowded by members of the participating museums, the Director General of Culture and the Director of Museums from Jakarta, visitors, schoolchildren, invited guests, dance groups and musicians. Museum Siwalima with its splendid view over the entrance of the Bay of Ambon has become a central point of attention of the Ambon city population. The opening ceremony took place at the entrance of the Ethnographic Museum. For exhibition purposes Museum Siwalima has several buildings spread over the hill of Taman Makmur; to mention some of them the national costume hall, Flora and Fauna Museum, Marine Museum and the 2 floor Sasadu Building where the today's exhibition is held.

The 13th Exhibition of Indonesia's Ethnic Statues and Decorative Designs ehibits over 200 pieces of precious wooden, stone, fabric, palm fiber collection and also pictures. Aside of the national collections Museum Siwalima has also a corner (on the second floor) of specific ethnic statues of Maluku itself. The pieces consists of guardian statues to ward off evil spirits, deities, ancestor statues, noble figure, founding fathers of a clan or a village and so forth.

On the evening of November 8, 2009 a meeting of all museum directors with the Director of Museums of the Directorate of Museums of the Department of Culture and Tourism, was held at Tirta Kencana Hotel and Restaurant at Amahusu. One among the many conclusions is that this traveling exhibition will continue during 2010, but with a different theme. The theme of the traveling exhibition will be "Indonesia's Musical Instruments" and the next year host will be the National Museum in Jakarta.

On November 9, 2009 an island tour for the participants was arranged in order to visit some historical spots, such as fort Amsterdam in Hila/Kaitetu, an old church Imanuel which was destroyed during the social conflicts some years ago, but now is under reconstruction, the Wapauwe Mosque in Kaitetu and enjoy the sacred eels in the freshwater fishpond of the village of Waai.

Lunch was served at Natsepa beach and the participants were entertained by a stunning magical dance known as the Crazy Bamboo Dance. This dance was performed by a group of dancers from the village Suli under the leadership of Mr. Manu Suitella, acting as the shaman. Uneven number of dancers, in this case 7 dancers, holding a bamboo tube which goes wild like crazy because it is possesed by magical powers of the spirits of the ancestors.

The crazy Bamboo dance was able to entertain the participants and other guests. On Ambon island there are 3 groups who usuall perform this mystical dance. The first group is from the village Halong under the leader of the family Abrahams, the second group is from Suli directed Mr. Manu and the third group from the Liang (a Moslem village). According to sayings the ability to call for the spirits of the ancestor to come into the bamboo tube and make itu become crazy is inherited from father to son. There are some rules to play this dance, but the most important rule is: the dancers may not have any kind of metal on their body (rings, necklaces, zippers, belt, golden teeth etc).

On the picture mrs. Silvana Darsono from Museum Menado and mrs. Johana Rijoly from Museum Siwalima Ambon are enjoing the famous Natsepa rujak (fruit salad mixed with peanut sauce) while watching the crazy bamboo dance.