TK1882 - This Tempat Kapur [Place of Lime] is an excellent
example of the uniqueness of each carving that the Timorese artists
create. A well presented lime powder container.
The body is carved using local teak wood. The spoon has been carved from bone and sports a face at the top.
The carver is Bapak Ayub Kune from Hane. He has embellished it with his clan totem of a backwards facing bird on the wider sides of the body and 2 smaller birds on the thinner sides. These totems tell of ancestral guardian spirits. The body is unusual in that it is 4 sided when wooden containers are usually round. A serene face acts as the head stopper.
15cm / 6" tall
70g / 2.4oz.
Place of Lime / Betel
Nut / Tobacco / Siri - TEMPAT KAPUR / KAL AU:
In these humble pieces we find Timorese art at its most unaffected. The
art of betel nut chewing and its accessories finds no equal when it comes to
Timor. Rich in meaning and deeply embedded in its culture, the Atoni have
elevated the rituals surrounding it to great heights artistically as well as
ceremonially. Still made and used daily, created by hand from bamboo, bone,
coconut shell, gourd, buffalo horn and wood each is a unique and original
masterpiece in its own right.
I am Julie and have been collecting Timorese Treasures in the field
since 1990 when I won a prize for overseas travel in a pub in Darwin [true]. I
had no idea at the time that I had stumbled upon an Aladdin's cave of authentic
traditional tribal textiles and treasures. I have been returning annually ever
since [well most years] and been witness to many changes across the last 3
decades. Who knows when we will be able to travel there again to obtain such
treasures?
NOTE: We use recycled packaging and have to cover ebay's fees as they
include postage/freight costs in their final fee [16%] [go figure!]
Clearly none of us are sure what will happen post COVID, but I do know
that the villagers, carvers and weavers up in the mountains will be grateful
when some outside dollars comes into their informal/circular economy. Therefore,
every purchase you choose to make with me will benefit the Atoni [people of
West Timor] as soon as I can get back there.
I distribute reading glasses and nutritious food seeds as the soil in
the western half of Timor is very poor and water a precious resource. Please
contact me if you wish to contribute.