Ulos Sitoluttuho

The traditional hand-woven textile known as Ulos from the Toba Batak people of North Sumatra symbolizes warmth, affection and protection, and is used in key life-cycle ceremonies such as weddings and births. This particular piece, the Ulos Sitolu Tuho, bears a pattern whose name refers to the “three milestones” of traditional Batak social structure — Sangap Marhula-Hula, Elek Marboru, Manat Mardongan Tubu. Although in some contexts this type of ulos functions as a head-tie or binding cord, in Batak custom it is also worn by women as a shawl or “tudung ni inang” (women’s covering) thus carrying both ceremonial and gender-specific meanings.

Batak Tribe, circa 1950
Origin: North Sumatra
Material: Hand-woven Cotton
Size: 245 x 95 cm