Shoulder or Hip Cloth (Hinggi)

ClassificationsClothing and Adornments-principal attire (upper body)

Culture Sumba

Datelate 20th Century

Made AtEast Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia, Asia

MediumCotton

Dimensions96 × 112 in. (243.8 × 284.5 cm)

Credit LineAnonymous Gift

Object number2016.15.45

DescriptionHinggi are ikat warp woven men’s cloths from the Indonesian island of Sumba. Produced and worn in identical pairs as a hip and shoulder wrap, only at formal events such as weddings, burials and other ceremonies, these textiles are famous for their rich colors, finely defined details and bold, horizontal patterns of stylized human and animal figures. These textiles are also well-known for incorporating both foreign motifs—such as heraldic imagery or dragons—and local motifs. One example of the latter is the “skull tree,” a reminder that the Sumba islanders were until recently head-hunters. These appealing textiles have been valuable trade items for centuries and were exported extensively in the 19th century by the Dutch. This is a relatively contemporary example.

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