Si Gale Gale or Si Galegale (Batak: ᯘᯪᯎᯞᯩᯎᯞᯩ ) is a wooden puppet used in a funeral dance performance of the Batak people in Samosir Island, Northern Sumatra. Sigale Gale is a well known feature to visiting tourists. During the dance, the puppet is operated from behind like a marionette using strings that run through the ornate wooden platform on which it stands. The set up enables its arms and body to be moved and its head to turn.
Si Gale Gale
Si Gale Gale dance puppets of Huta Bolon Simanindo Museum in Simanindo, Samosir Island, North Sumatra, Indonesia.
Traditionally the performance was carried out of childless person. Batak Toba believe souls become an ancestral spirit and the children of the deceased perform funerary rites. If a person died childless a si gale-gale is created as a substitute. Complicated sigale gale could be life sized and featured actuation using wet moss or sponges that could be squeezed to make the dolls appear to cry.[1]
The wooden figure has jointed limbs were mounted on large wheeled platforms on which, weeping, they danced during funerary ceremonies called papurpur sapata, held for persons of high rank who had died without offspring. The ritual dispelled the curse of dying childless, and placated the spirit of the deceased so that he would do no harm to the community.[2]
The use of the si gale-gale figure is said to have originated from the legend of a childless woman named Nai Manggale, who on her deathbed instructed her husband to have a lifesize image made of herself to be called si gale-gale and to have a dirge played before it. Unless this was done, her spirit would not be admitted to the abode of the dead, which would in turn force her to put a curse on her surviving spouse. To avert this misfortune, the si gale-gale was created. Si gale-gale figures are either male or female, depending on the gender of the deceased.[2]
Early referenceedit
Among the earliest references to the si gale-gale is the German missionary Johannes Warneck's description of the sculpture's use in the early twentieth century. When a rich man died without a surviving son, his relatives held a special feast both to mourn his death and to demonstrate his wealth. For this festival a wooden figure in the likeness of the deceased was commissioned and clothed in traditional costume, with shawl, headdress, and gold jewelry. Mounted on a wheeled platform and manipulated by an elaborate system of strings, the figure danced while the deceased's wife, parents, and brothers danced alongside, weeping. The image was led ceremoniously to the market, where pork, beef, or buffalo meat was distributed·among those gathered. After the prescribed period of dancing, the si gale-gale was shot and thrown over the village walls. The Batak saying "Wealthy for a moment like a si gale-gale figure" thus refers to a rich man with no heirs to care for his spirit in the afterlife.[3]
^Puppet Head (Si Gale–gale), late 19th–early 20th century, Toba Batak people, Sumatra, Indonesia Wood, brass, lead alloy, water buffalo horn, pigment; H. 11 1/4 in. (28.6 cm) Gift of Fred and Rita Richman, 1987 (1987.453.6) Metropolitan Museum of Art
^ abFlorina H. Capistrano-Baker, Art of Island Southeast Asia: The Fred and Rita Richman Collection in The Metropolitan Museum of Art - 1994 p. 27
Sigale-gale at the front cover Art of island Southeast Asia : the Fred and Rita Richman Collection in The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Black and white footage of Sigale gale with audio of the music (1993)
Video of a performance Sigale Gale and footage of the craftsman making one (audio in Indonesian)
December 14, 2023
gale, gale, galegale, batak, ᯎᯞ, ᯎᯞ, wooden, puppet, used, funeral, dance, performance, batak, people, samosir, island, northern, sumatra, sigale, gale, well, known, feature, visiting, tourists, during, dance, puppet, operated, from, behind, like, marionette, . Si Gale Gale or Si Galegale Batak ᯘ ᯎᯞ ᯎᯞ is a wooden puppet used in a funeral dance performance of the Batak people in Samosir Island Northern Sumatra Sigale Gale is a well known feature to visiting tourists During the dance the puppet is operated from behind like a marionette using strings that run through the ornate wooden platform on which it stands The set up enables its arms and body to be moved and its head to turn Si Gale GaleSi Gale Gale dance puppets of Huta Bolon Simanindo Museum in Simanindo Samosir Island North Sumatra Indonesia Native nameᯘ ᯎᯞ ᯎᯞ Batak Tortor Si Gale Gale Batak Toba Instrument s Gondang Sarune Ogung Garantung SulimInventorBatakOriginIndonesiaTraditionally the performance was carried out of childless person Batak Toba believe souls become an ancestral spirit and the children of the deceased perform funerary rites If a person died childless a si gale gale is created as a substitute Complicated sigale gale could be life sized and featured actuation using wet moss or sponges that could be squeezed to make the dolls appear to cry 1 The wooden figure has jointed limbs were mounted on large wheeled platforms on which weeping they danced during funerary ceremonies called papurpur sapata held for persons of high rank who had died without offspring The ritual dispelled the curse of dying childless and placated the spirit of the deceased so that he would do no harm to the community 2 Contents 1 Legend 2 Early reference 3 Gallery 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksLegend editThe use of the si gale gale figure is said to have originated from the legend of a childless woman named Nai Manggale who on her deathbed instructed her husband to have a lifesize image made of herself to be called si gale gale and to have a dirge played before it Unless this was done her spirit would not be admitted to the abode of the dead which would in turn force her to put a curse on her surviving spouse To avert this misfortune the si gale gale was created Si gale gale figures are either male or female depending on the gender of the deceased 2 Early reference editAmong the earliest references to the si gale gale is the German missionary Johannes Warneck s description of the sculpture s use in the early twentieth century When a rich man died without a surviving son his relatives held a special feast both to mourn his death and to demonstrate his wealth For this festival a wooden figure in the likeness of the deceased was commissioned and clothed in traditional costume with shawl headdress and gold jewelry Mounted on a wheeled platform and manipulated by an elaborate system of strings the figure danced while the deceased s wife parents and brothers danced alongside weeping The image was led ceremoniously to the market where pork beef or buffalo meat was distributed among those gathered After the prescribed period of dancing the si gale gale was shot and thrown over the village walls The Batak saying Wealthy for a moment like a si gale gale figure thus refers to a rich man with no heirs to care for his spirit in the afterlife 3 Gallery edit nbsp Sigale Gale puppet from Samosir nbsp Sigale gale face nbsp Puppeteer operating from behind the figure 1970 See also edit nbsp Indonesia portalTor tor dance Tandok dance Dance in Indonesia Sigalegalephrynus a toad genus named after the puppetsReferences edit Puppet Head Si Gale gale late 19th early 20th century Toba Batak people Sumatra Indonesia Wood brass lead alloy water buffalo horn pigment H 11 1 4 in 28 6 cm Gift of Fred and Rita Richman 1987 1987 453 6 Metropolitan Museum of Art a b Florina H Capistrano Baker Art of Island Southeast Asia The Fred and Rita Richman Collection in The Metropolitan Museum of Art 1994 p 27 Warneck 1909 p 108 External links editSIGALE GALE at PT MASCOT TRAVEL Sigale gale at the front cover Art of island Southeast Asia the Fred and Rita Richman Collection in The Metropolitan Museum of Art Black and white footage of Sigale gale with audio of the music 1993 Video of a performance Sigale Gale and footage of the craftsman making one audio in Indonesian Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Si Gale Gale amp oldid 1170271144, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
