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Vera Tobing collection

(A study of a group of Toba Batak textiles most of which were inherited from two Batak women who were born in the last decade of the 19th Century and second decade of the 20th Century in villages around Tarutung, North Tapanuli, in North Sumatra (also known as the Silindung Valley)) - compiled by Pamela A Cross and Maria DRT Ambesa

these images are © and may not be reproduced without the express permission of Pamela A Cross and Vera Tobing

click on main photo enlargement to go to Vera Tobing collection photogallery - click on any thumbnails to go to further photo enlargements

Bintang Irene br.Tarihoran

Mrs Vera Tobing giving an ulos at my sister's ( Bintang Irene ) wedding party on January 21st, 2006. (mangulosi, means to bless).

Then the unlucky one was my sister. She got no bless from her tulang and tulang didn't come in her wedding. But my mother ask me to write his name in invitation, and running the mangulosi processing eventhough there was no adat ceremony.

I will send you the better quality of mangulosi photos from my sister wedding and mine too.

My brothers and sisters:
1. Sondang E br. Tarihoran married BM Hasibuan (south Tapanuli)
2. Anthony MH Tarihoran married R br. Damanik (Simalungun)
3. Edyson S Tarihoran (died before got married)
4. Maria DR br.Tarihoran married EHGA Ambesa (Flores/Rote south east Timor)
5. Rudy SP Tarihoran
6. Bintang I br.Tarihoran married R Prahasta (father east Java, mother s.e Timor)

The photo in Bintang's wedding:
-The older woman with ragidup around her is bridegroom's (Rudy's) mother (Mrs Maria Mimi Suwarno Harso Lakusa)
- The man was given ragihotang is Rudy's uncle and the woman beside him is Mrs MM Lakusa's sister)
-The textile over Rudy's Ragihotang is saroong (its name : mandar hela/ son in law's saroong). This saroong brings message for the son in law to be a handy person in any adat ceremony because he -on behalf his wife's side- is boru and boru gets the 'busy job/servant' in adat ceremony. (hula-hula gets honored position/role).

My -and Eben's and Rudy's- family wouldn't mind you use the mangulosi photos.

ulos in the Vera Tobing collection photographed by Mari Pro Foto Studio, Jawa Barat Depok
click on main photo enlargement to go to Vera Tobing collection photogallery - click on any thumbnails to go to further photo enlargements
go to Indonesia country page - go to Indonesia photogalleries and articles
Maria DRT Ambesa is the daughter of Vera Tobing and an architect now living with her husband in Java. She has been the essential intermediary allowing these fine textiles and their story to be shared. She arranged for the family ulos to be photographed and has worked tirelessly, together with her mother, to track down information about the ulos, their weavers and to extract memories and photos of the past from a family who have been amazed that there should be any interest in their history or value placed on it as background to the textiles. Maria's patience, persistence and endless cheerful support plus her excellent English, have made the 'Vera Tobing collection' not only possible but a thoroughly enjoyable study to develop.

Both Pamela and Maria are very grateful indeed for the encouragement and advice which they have received from Sandra Niessen, a leading expert on the Batak and their textiles. See an autobiography and Batak references for more information about Sandra and her publications.
Copyright © 2012 Pamela A Cross. The contents of this site, including all images and text, are for personal, educational, non-commercial use only and may not be reproduced in any form without the express permission of Pamela A Cross.
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this page last updated 20 April, 2006