Hello everyone, how are you? I hope you're all well. Recently, I visited Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (Beautiful Indonesia in Miniature Park) and visited the Maluku Pavilion, which features the Baileo House. Before discussing the building I visited, I'll talk a little about Maluku.
Maluku is a province often referred to as Seriku Pulau (Island of Islands), home to an abundance of spices, diverse tribes, and rich cultural heritage. There are the Ambon, Kei, Tanim, Bar, Buru, Banda, and others. Yes, Maluku has many tribes.
Picture by Nurdiani Latifah
Culinary-wise, there are many dishes rich in spices. For example, sambal colok-colok (spicy chili sauce), ikan kuah (fish soup), palap (palap), banda, papeda (rice porridge), and so on. So, what about the Maluku Pavilion?
The Maluku Pavilion showcases several iconic arts and culture. In Maluku, the house of baby Leo reflects the alliance between two ancestral groups of Maluku, Pata Siwa and Pata Sima. Philosophically, Siwa 5 is the foundation of Maluku life, and this is reflected in the number of pillars within the baileo house.
There are nine pillars at the front and back, and five pillars on the left and right sides. Philosophically, this place is rich in meaning. The house is predominantly colored in black and red, a stark contrast to other houses in the eastern region.
Furthermore, this house showcases a variety of Maluku culture through a collection of art and other traditional objects, such as traditional clothing, musical instruments, and weapons from Maluku. The machete and salawaku, traditional weapons from Maluku, are also displayed.
Picture by Nurdiani Latifah
The house displays wedding attire from the Ambonese tribe, wedding attire from the Tanimbar tribe, the Kapitan costume, and the Nai Baileo costume. Traditional Maluku musical instruments are also displayed, such as the tortobuang, flute, tifa, and ukulele.
Furthermore, this pavilion also features the rumah latu, or king's house. The king's house, usually occupied by the village head, is rectangular and features a serami (a room for receiving guests, especially male guests). Female guests are received in the women's living room.
Furthermore, the king's house includes a bedroom and a back room that serves as both a kitchen and dining area. That's all I can tell you about the place I visited. What do you think? This place uses a lot of wood, just like other traditional Indonesian houses.
About Author
My name is Nurdiani Latifah. I live in Jakarta – Indonesia, and after 25 years I live in Bandung. I am a media staff at an NGO in Indonesia. I have worked in this institution for almost 2 years on issues of women and peace. I have been a journalist in Bandung for 3 years.
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