Minahasan Batik Costume

Introduce Minahasan

Minahasan are an ethnic group from the Indonesian province of North Sulawesi, which was once known as North Celebes. The Minahasans (also known as Minahassa) are a native ethnic group who originated in the area. When referring to themselves, the Minahasa people refer to themselves as Manado people.

In spite of the fact that the Minahasa pre-Christian creation myth implies some type of ethnic union, the Minahasa territory was not united until the nineteenth century. An assemblage of politically autonomous factions coexisted instead, frequently in a state of perpetual conflict. Located on the Minahasan peninsula of North Sulawesi, a Christian-majority territory in a Muslim-majority country, Minahasans are the most prevalent ethnic group in the region (Indonesia). In Minahasa, the indigenous people are Austronesian people, who are descended from earlier migrations from the far north of the continent.

Minahasan Batik

Batik Minahasan is a technique for decorating textiles in which the areas of the material that will not be coloured are coated with molten wax before they are dyed. During the decorating process, the wax stops the material from absorbing the dye that has been applied.

The word "batik" is of Indonesian origin, and it is connected to the Malay word "titik," which means "dot" or "point," as well as the Javanese word "amba," which literally means "to write."

The procedure is as follows: 

Around the world, people have used the method of covering or "reserving" sections of a cloth with a paste or liquid substance in order to create a pattern. The origins of the method are still up in the air, according to several theories. It is found in India, Sri Lanka, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, Turkestan, and West Africa, among other places.

The art of batik has been documented in the Malay Archipelago since the 16th century, with the development of the craft reaching a particularly high level in Java, where it is being practiced today.

When the Javanese came up with the canting, a small tool for tracing lines with wax, they were able to make the best hand-drawn fabrics, known as tulis, which are still around today.

The Javanese were responsible for the development of the copper block, or cap, in the twentieth century. This technology changed the way batik was made because it made it possible to make high-quality designs and complicated patterns a lot faster than it would have been possible to do by hand.

The Origin of Minhasan Batik

The origins of batik manufacture in Malaysia are difficult to trace back to their source. However, it is known for certain that the Javanese had an impact on Malay batik-making, both in terms of technique and in terms of the evolution of design. Malaysians utilized wooden blocks to create textiles that were similar to batiks at an early period of their history. Javanese batik artists brought wax and copper blocks to the East Coast at the end of the twentieth century. They've been there ever since.

In Malaysia, the creation of hand drawn batik has only recently begun, and it is closely tied to the Javanese batik tulis. The first commercial manufacturing began in the 1960s. In Malaysia, this craft has acquired its own style and design, which distinguishes it from other crafts. The new Malaysian batik is a marked departure from the Javanese tradition of hand-painted batiks, which has been around for centuries.

Minahasan People

The Minahasan people are a group of people that have a culture that is both distinctive and remarkable in many ways. Prior to coming into contact with Europeans, people living on the Minahasan peninsula interacted mostly with inhabitants of North Maluku, as well as with Chinese and Malay traders from other parts of the Indonesian archipelago, according to historical records. The region was in contact with the Portuguese and the Spanish beginning in the 1500s.

Minahasan Language

The inhabitants of North Sulawesi and Gangga Island, which are both part of Indonesia, speak Bahasa Indonesia, which is the national language. They do, however, speak languages belonging to the Minahasan group, which are really classified as Philippine languages. Tonsawang, also known as Tombatu, is a language spoken near the extreme northern tip of North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Many people in the north speak Tontemboan, while many more in the northeast speak Tondano, Tombulu, and Tonsea.

To further complicate matters, inhabitants in the Manado area speak Manado Malay, which is also known as Bahasa Manado in various parts of the world. This is a language made up of words from Malay, Dutch, and Portuguese, as well as other languages.

Minahasan History

 According to archaeological evidence, the Minahasa region of North Sulawesi has been inhabited since the late 3rd millennium BC, or since the middle of the Bronze Age. This was a time of cultural exchange and conquest. Many civilizations were taken over by other civilizations during this time.

Australian communities that originated in China, Taiwan, and the Philippines gradually made their way down to Borneo, Sulawesi, and the Moluccas, where they settled. The Mina Hasan people were descended from the initial residents of the islands, who were divided into three separate tribes.

Minahasan Tribal Wars and Watu Pinabetengan

 For many centuries, the tribes of North Sulawesi were embroiled in disputes and battles with one another. According to Minahasan legend, the three initial factions came together to try to resolve the disputes that were wreaking havoc on their people. The meeting

at Awuan, not far from Lake Tondano, was dubbed "Pinawetengan '' (language splitting) and was attended by representatives from all around the country. This conference resulted in the three factions being separated into further tribes. At Watu Pinawetengan, you can see the marker that marks the spot where the meeting took place (Stone of Dividing).

Minahasan Colonization

When the Portuguese arrived in North Sulawesi in the late 1500s, they discovered a land rich in spices, gold, and rice, and they decided to settle there. The Dutch and the Spanish arrived shortly after, and the battle for control of the region continued for decades. The territory was ultimately conquered by the Dutch in the 17th century, and they remained in control of the region until the arrival of the Japanese during World War II.

It was during this time period that the bulk of the Mina Hasan people converted to the Dutch Christian faith. Some converted to Islam, while others adopted the Buddhist or Confucian beliefs of the Chinese businessmen who had brought them to the country.

Interestingly, in 1947, the Manado-based political movement Twapro (short for Twaalfde Provincie (Twelfth Province) was created to advocate for the official incorporation of the Minahasa region into the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which was successful. This did not happen, and on August 14, 1959, the Indonesian government made North Sulawesi a province of the country.

Minahasan Culture

The Minahasan culture is well-known for a few essential characteristics, including dancing, music, and cuisine, among others. They were a fighting civilization, as evidenced by the distinctive dances they performed. The vibrant, rhythmic dances, which were once mostly used for ceremonies and tourists, are fun to watch.

Minahasan music has a large European influence. Marching bands, which comprise clarinets, saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and tubas, are quite popular in China. All of the instruments are made of bamboo, including the drums.

When it comes to cuisine, Minahasan food may be a variety of things, but you can always expect it to be spicy. The inhabitants of North Sulawesi like chilies and use them in a variety of preparations. Although they mostly eat locally caught shellfish, they also consume dogs, cats, fruit bats, and forest rats, in addition to other animals.

Minahasan Religion

The Minahasa Regency has one of the largest percentages of Christians in Indonesia, with 93 percent of the population being Christian. It boasts the highest density of church structures in Indonesia, with about one church for every 100m of road. It is also the most religiously diverse region in Indonesia. [32] In Northern Sulawesi, European Christians were able to spread the word about Christianity. This led to the creation of a Christian community.

Minahasan Music

Minahasan music is characterized by the use of percussion instruments such as the gong, drum, and kolintang. It is widely believed that Minahasa music is heavily influenced by European colonial music; their festivals feature large marching bands made up of clarinets (source), saxophones (source), trumpets (source), trombones (source), and tubas (source), all constructed out of local bamboo, which form the basis of a song genre known as musik bambu.

Minahasan Languages

Five distinct languages are spoken in Minahasa; these are: Tonsawang, Tontemboan, Toulour, Tonsea, and Tombulu. Tonsawang is the most widely spoken of the five. The North Sulawesi Language Survey, written by Scott Merrifield and Martinus Sales and published by the Summer Institute of Linguistics in Dallas in 1996, was a landmark publication. After a thorough examination of the phonology and lexicon of the languages, it provides an overview of their categorization and geographical distribution.

Minahasan Cultural Renaissance

Since the de-centralisation that followed the end of Suharto's New Order era, the Minahasa has been strengthening its regional autonomy plan, among other things, by establishing itself as a cultural entity and identity that is distinct from the rest of Indonesia. Bert Supit founded the three main Minahasa non-governmental organizations (NGO) involved in the cultural revival movement: "Yayasan Suara Nurani" (The Voice from Within Foundation); "Minahasa Wangko" (Minahasa the Great); and "Peduli Minahasa." The Voice from Within Foundation and Peduli Minahasa are both Minahasa NGO's.

Minahasan Lifestyle

In ancient times, the Minahasa civilization was both competitive and egalitarian.Important shamans were often female, and there is no evidence of any special prejudice against women in Minahasa society. Decisions affecting the community were reached through a democratic process. Because of the virtual equality of birth, a person's development in social standing is mostly based on his or her own personal achievements and the manifestation of personal qualities.

Better social standing was obtained via the use of two primary mechanisms: the deployment of riches and the demonstration of courage. The first was accomplished via the use of "Status selematans", ceremonial feasts known as Foso (feast), while the latter was accomplished by effective headhunting.

Headhunting assisted the warrior in gaining an understanding of a theological notion known as "keter," which is akin to the Malay phrase "semangat," which literally translates as "soul/spirit essence." Courage, eloquence, vigor, and fertility are some of the manifestations of this spiritual and physical energy.

Even despite the absence of the actual practice of headhunting, as well as other ancient traditions and practices, these fundamental characteristics of original Minahasa culture continue to be held in high esteem. Even now, the use of wealth, boldness, obstinacy, and the eloquence of verbal opposition are essential factors in the advancement of social mobility in Minahasa society.

The majority of Mina Hasan people, particularly the upper class and those who lived in Manado, gradually accepted European and Dutch culture when the Dutch colonized the country and the treaty between the Dutch and the Mina Hasan people in 1699, and their culture became significantly westernized as a result. For most of the 18th and 19th centuries, the Mina Hasan people were entirely assimilated into European culture, dress, and lifestyle, which continued until the resurrection of traditional Minahasan culture in the late twentieth century.

Despite the fact that there are still some Minahasan who are more Dutch or European in culture, this is a minority. The Minahasan people are a relatively distinct group of people in comparison to other Indonesians. In contrast, Minahasa is also an isolated enclave of Western culture and Christianity, a stronghold of the colonial power's devotion to the West.

Minahasan Cuisine

Rica-rica and dabu-dabu are two dishes that are prominent in Minahasan cuisine. Rica-rica is a dish made with spicy red chili, shallots, garlic, and tomatoes, and dabu-dabu is a type of condiment made with chopped chilli, shallots, garlic, and green tomatoes and a little vinegar or lime juice.

Rica-rica is a dish made with spicy red chili, shallots, garlic, and tomato, and dabu-dabu is a type of condiment made with chopped chilli, shallots, garlic, and tomato. Other veggies include papaya flower buds sautéed with shallots, chilli, and green tomatoes, as well as sayur bunga papaya.