AU NORD DE SUMATRA, LES BATAK

Description

The six Batak groups live in North Sumatra province. Toba, Karo, Pakpak, Angkola, Simalungun, Mandailing; all have to cradle the peninsula of Samosir and the steep banks of Lake Toba. The Batak built beautiful houses, carved ritual objects as everyday objects; they are virtuosos in the art of weaving. Their creations are evidence of a complex culture, different from one group to another, to which are attached many rituals. After the first glance, real objects called “culture”: an eye then discover a setting in abyss of reasons, careful attention in the treatment of details, from the sinuous line and the face reversed. This book traces the history of the discovery of the Batak by the West and exposes social and political components, religious and ritual underlying the Batak society. The wealth of the Quai Branly museum collections allows immersion in the fascinating world of Batak.