Material: Wood, gold leaf
Style: Minangkabau, West Sumatra, Indonesia
Size: Diameter 18 cm
Order Number: MHSAME5

When the Minangkabau converted to Islam,  they kept their traditional law and matrilineal social organisation. They remain strongly Moslem and have blended the two systems. Property and inheritance follows the female line, but maintenance of adat, the traditional law, smooth running of society and settlement of disputes is the responsibility of senior men. Many events call for ceremonies.

In early days wooden headdresses (saluak datu batimbo kayu) were intricately carved, hollow and lightweight in imitation of folded cloth headdresses and then decorated with gold leaf. This one has clearly been used and has a crack. They have not been worn for many years and are mostly in private collections and museums.

There is a similar one in Gold Jewelry of the Indonesian Archipelago, Anne Richter and Bruce Carpenter, Editions Didier Millet 2011, page 281.

About 70-80 years.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

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Material: Gold-plated
Style: Minangkabau, West Sumatra, Indonesia
Size: Height 50 cm, Width 42 cm
Order Number: MHSAMSBC1

When the Minangkabau converted to Islam,  they kept their traditional law and matrilineal social organisation. They remain strongly Moslem and have blended the two systems. Property and inheritance follows the female line, but maintenance of adat, the traditional law, smooth running of society and settlement of disputes is the responsibility of senior men. Many events call for ceremonies.

Minangkabau Bride and Groom.

The most elaborate head ornament is the suntiang worn by a bride at her wedding. If a woman does not have a large head of hair, a bun made of hair or finely cut pandanus leaves is attached to her hair to  support it. The most complex ones consist of a golden semicircle to which many gold or gilded ornaments are attached. Sprays of small real or cloth flowers are added.

Arranging this many-pieced crown takes well over an hour and is an art in itself. It weighs many pounds and the bride has to wear it for hours during the wedding ceremony and reception. Maybe this is the reason Minangkabau brides never smile!

Map of Minangkabau.

Mid 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Minangkabau Suntiang Bridal Crown 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Gold-plated
Style: Minangkabau, West Sumatra, Indonesia
Size: Height 42 cm, Width 35 cm
Order Number: MHSAMSBC2

When the Minangkabau converted to Islam,  they kept their traditional law and matrilineal social organisation. They remain strongly Moslem and have blended the two systems. Property and inheritance follows the female line, but maintenance of adat, the traditional law, smooth running of society and settlement of disputes is the responsibility of senior men. Many events call for ceremonies.

Minangkabau Bride and Groom.

The most elaborate head ornament is the suntiang worn by a bride at her wedding. If a woman does not have a large head of hair, a bun made of hair or finely cut pandanus leaves is attached to her hair to  support it. The most complex ones consist of a golden semicircle to which many gold or gilded ornaments are attached. Sprays of small real or cloth flowers are added.

Arranging this many-pieced crown takes well over an hour and is an art in itself. It weighs many pounds and the bride has to wear it for hours during the wedding ceremony and reception. Maybe this is the reason Minangkabau brides never smile!

Map of Minangkabau.

Mid 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Minangkabau Suntiang Bridal Crown 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Gold-plated
Style: Minangkabau, West Sumatra, Indonesia
Size: Height 48 cm, Width 35 cm
Order Number: MHSAMSBC3

When the Minangkabau converted to Islam,  they kept their traditional law and matrilineal social organisation. They remain strongly Moslem and have blended the two systems. Property and inheritance follows the female line, but maintenance of adat, the traditional law, smooth running of society and settlement of disputes is the responsibility of senior men. Many events call for ceremonies.

Minangkabau Bride and Groom.

The most elaborate head ornament is the suntiang worn by a bride at her wedding. If a woman does not have a large head of hair, a bun made of hair or finely cut pandanus leaves is attached to her hair to  support it. The most complex ones consist of a golden semicircle to which many gold or gilded ornaments are attached. Sprays of small real or cloth flowers are added.

Arranging this many-pieced crown takes well over an hour and is an art in itself. It weighs many pounds and the bride has to wear it for hours during the wedding ceremony and reception. Maybe this is the reason Minangkabau brides never smile!

Map of Minangkabau.

Mid 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Minangkabau Suntiang Bridal Crown 3 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Gold foil, velvet, cotton
Style: Solok, Minangkabau, West Sumatra, Indonesia
Size: Length 61 cm, Width 23 cm
Order Number: MHSAME4

When the Minangkabau converted to Islam,  they kept their traditional law and matrilineal social organisation. They remain strongly Moslem and have blended the two systems. Property and inheritance follows the female line, but maintenance of adat, the traditional law, smooth running of society and settlement of disputes is the responsibility of senior men. Many events call for ceremonies.

Solok (meaningvalley) is a city in West Sumatra, Indonesia.

Embellished Minangkabau Velvet Collar: Long collars with foil images of jewelry stitched or glued on to velvet were worn by women in the southern area of Solok. The gold foil includes imitation gold coins, ear and pectoral ornaments and the back section of the distinctive Solok bridal crown.

There is a similar one in Gold Jewelry of the Indonesian Archipelago, Anne Richter and Bruce Carpenter, Editions Didier Millet 2011, page 293.

19th century or early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Minangkabau Velvet Collar appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Metal
Style: Minangkabau, West Sumatra, Indonesia
Size: Height 33 cm (in the centre), Width 51 cm
Order Number: MHSAMSBC4

When the Minangkabau converted to Islam,  they kept their traditional law and matrilineal social organisation. They remain strongly Moslem and have blended the two systems. Property and inheritance follows the female line, but maintenance of adat, the traditional law, smooth running of society and settlement of disputes is the responsibility of senior men. Many events call for ceremonies.

Minangkabau Bride and Groom.

The most elaborate head ornament is the suntiang worn by a bride at her wedding. If a woman does not have a large head of hair, a bun made of hair or finely cut pandanus leaves is attached to her hair to  support it. The most complex ones consist of a golden semicircle to which many gold or gilded ornaments are attached. Sprays of small real or cloth flowers are added.

Arranging this many-pieced crown takes well over an hour and is an art in itself. It weighs many pounds and the bride has to wear it for hours during the wedding ceremony and reception. Maybe this is the reason Minangkabau brides never smile!

Map of Minangkabau.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Minangkabau Suntiang Bridal Crown 4 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Metal
Style: Minangkabau, West Sumatra, Indonesia
Size: Height 30 cm (in the centre), Width 47 cm
Order Number: MHSAMSBC5

When the Minangkabau converted to Islam,  they kept their traditional law and matrilineal social organisation. They remain strongly Moslem and have blended the two systems. Property and inheritance follows the female line, but maintenance of adat, the traditional law, smooth running of society and settlement of disputes is the responsibility of senior men. Many events call for ceremonies.

Minangkabau Bride and Groom.

The most elaborate head ornament is the suntiang worn by a bride at her wedding. If a woman does not have a large head of hair, a bun made of hair or finely cut pandanus leaves is attached to her hair to  support it. The most complex ones consist of a golden semicircle to which many gold or gilded ornaments are attached. Sprays of small real or cloth flowers are added.

Arranging this many-pieced crown takes well over an hour and is an art in itself. It weighs many pounds and the bride has to wear it for hours during the wedding ceremony and reception. Maybe this is the reason Minangkabau brides never smile!

Map of Minangkabau.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Minangkabau Suntiang Bridal Crown 5 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.