Ceremonial Shoulder Cloth (Salendang) or Head Cloth (Tangkuluak)

19th century

Minangkabau, Sumatran

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About the Artwork

An elite man or woman of the Minangkabau culture in West Sumatra, Indonesia, would have worn this textile during ceremonial occasions such as weddings and chieftain inaugurations. The rich materials and intricate designs displayed the wealth and status of the wearer, who may have been a chieftain or one of his female relatives. Worn by a man, the garment would be draped across the shoulders. Worn by a woman, it was usually folded into an elaborate headdress.

Some of the designs woven into this cloth symbolize Minangkabau cultural values or represent ceremonial items. Look for repeated “X” shapes in diagonal lines that intersect to form a diamond pattern; they signify a chain, which stands for the strength of a community that works together. Rows of smaller diamonds along the border represent special rice cakes made for weddings and other ceremonies.

Minangkabau cloths woven in this style, with a dark background, are known as “kain basahan itam,” or “textile dipped in black.”

Title Ceremonial Shoulder Cloth (Salendang) or Head Cloth (Tangkuluak)

Artwork Date 19th century

Artist ----------

Life Dates ----------

Nationality Please note: Definitions for nationality may vary significantly, depending on chronology and world events. Some definitions include: Belonging to a people having a common origin based on a geography and/or descent and/or tradition and/or culture and/or religion and/or language, or sharing membership in a legally defined nation. Sumatran

Culture Please note: Cultures may be defined by the language, customs, religious beliefs, social norms, and material traits of a group. Minangkabau

Medium Cotton, silk, gold thread, lacquered paper

Dimensions Overall: 24 3/4 × 83 inches (62.9 × 210.8 cm)

Classification Textiles

Department Asian Art

Credit Gift of Janis B. Wetsman

Accession Number This unique number is assigned to an individual artwork as part of the cataloguing process at the time of entry into the permanent collection. Most frequently, accession numbers begin with the year in which the artwork entered the museum’s holdings. For example, 2008.3 refers to the year of acquisition and notes that it was the 3rd of that year. The DIA has a few additional systems—no longer assigned—that identify specific donors or museum patronage groups. 2019.60

Markings

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Provenance

(A. Sutan Majo Indo, proprietor of Toko Aladdin gallery, Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, Indonesia);
1997, purchased by Janis Wetsman (Birmingham, Michigan, USA);
2019-present, gift to the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA)

For more information on provenance, please visit:

Provenance page

Exhibition History

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The exhibition history of a number of objects in our collection only begins after their acquisition by the museum, and may reflect an incomplete record.

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Published References

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We regularly update our object record as new research and findings emerge, and we welcome your feedback for correction and/or improvement.

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Catalogue Raisoneé

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Credit Line for Reproduction

Minangkabau, Sumatran, Ceremonial Shoulder Cloth (Salendang) or Head Cloth (Tangkuluak), 19th century, cotton, silk, gold thread, lacquered paper. Detroit Institute of Arts, Gift of Janis B. Wetsman, 2019.60.