The Journey of Ancestor

A almost 4-meter-long ship-shaped sculpture has one of the finest carvings with the title “The Journey of Ancestor.” Each curve of this sculpture has a wealth of tales and thoughts. One way the Ballac ancestors’ voyage is represented is via the carving of ships. The Manggarai area was never colonized because it was the strongest and always won in matches. Five original forefathers initially stepped into a boat and stopped in Minangkabau. Even in a buffalo combat, one of Minangkabau’s most adored traditional events, none of the five ancestors loses. The engraving of the horse on the end of the ship’s side is a symbol of janggang polong, the nickname given to the ancestors meaning the best sniper. Then they continued their journey and finally settled in the village of Nangalili.  According to legend, King Todo, who resides in the famous village of Wae Rebo, originally was a Kuleng tribe, who was the same ancestor of Ballac. The majority of the Kuleng tribe chose to dwell in the Nangalili area, which is located next to the hill in the village of Wae Rebo because they were more concerned with kinship and generosity towards others than with a position. As proof of its unreported actual historical roots, a Wae Rebo traditional dwelling is carved into this masterpiece. The shape of the human face on the engraving which tends to look humorous is a symbol of friendliness and kinship because they can be friends with anyone, as well as longing for the family left behind and all men are the responsibility and the backbone of the family. Other engraved features include the weaving and carving motifs on traditional Flores houses, which join together to make a coherent whole to represent the essence, ambiance, and significance of the origins of Flores culture.

Artist: Ballac Kuleng
Origin: Nangalili, Manggarai, Flores
Material: Burned Acasia Wood Carving
Dimension: 315 x 78 x 9 cm
Stand: 118 cm
Weight: 35 kg

Shipped from Labuan Bajo, Flores