Fashion
Apparel and Accessories
A Woman's Gaze - Is she a child? A mother? A man's wife?
We do not know what she was looking at nor what she was thinking about when this photograph was taken.
Let's explore her life, her friends and family, and what they wore more than a hundred years ago.
In the picture on the left, is a woman from Simalur, west coast Sumatra. She is wearing presumably what is known as a ‘selendang’ which is narrow piece of rectangular cloth worn over the shoulder.
A woman from Simalur, west coast Sumatra, early 20th century (2008-06482).
Source: Asian Civilisations Museum.
A woman from Simalur, west coast Sumatra, early 20th century (2008-06482).
Source: Asian Civilisations Museum.
Children from Simalur, west coast Sumatra, early 20th century. A cloth-like fabric assumed to be a sarong is seemed to be used as a baby carrier. (2008-06484).
Source: Asian Civilisations Museum.
A group of indigenous people from Simalur, west coast Sumatra dressed in traditional clothing, early 20th century (2008-06486).
Source: Asian Civilisations Museum.
The Dayaks of Renduku used this wooden scrapper to extract the juices from a particular yellow root which is then applied on their faces and body. There is no record about the significance use of this object (XXXX-11017).
Source: Asian Civilisations Museum.
A wooden hair ornament used by the Dayak men and women of Bukang, Semandang River in the early 20th century. Worn in pairs, it was believed to be used in healing and as a tool in daily activities (XXXX-12007).
Source: Asian Civilisations Museum.