95,00€
In stock
Beautiful tribal bone and wood piece. A kalaf or Kalat is a Shaman’s containers for lime powder, made from water buffalo’s bone, horn, or wood, and topped with a carved wooden stopper. In Borneo and Timor’s ceremonies, hosts and guests share betel nut with a pinch of powdered lime, pepper and leaves from the Sireh plant (Piper betle), and a slice of the nut of the pinang palm (Areca catechu) as a sign of hospitality and goodwill.
Each kalat is carved with a unique combination of anthropomorphic, zoomorphic, and geometric patterns, which often echo local traditional designs. Men carry their kalat with them in a traditional cloth bag called aluk. A man`s aluk will also carry Pinang nuts and other betel chewing ingredients, and a feku, a cow whistle. Each man carefully trains his cows to respond only to the particular sound of his feku.
We brought these unique pieces directly from a Timorian family in Indonesia who had a vast personal collection of Timorese tribal art. Each one of them is unique and slightly different from any other made.
SpaceWhale ® & Company is proudly powered by WordPress
Fair traveller, thou hast shown a keen eye and an inquisitive spirit, qualities much admired in this vast and wondrous world of commerce. Alas, our humble establishment is presently undergoing renovations as we prepare to open our doors in the land down under – Australia.
Fear not, our fine apparel, including the ever-popular T-shirts and Totes, are still available for purchase through our esteemed printing partners.
We thank thee for thy patience and understanding during these exciting times at SpaceWhale ® & Company. Our crew eagerly awaits serving thee with unparalleled excellence, both here and in the farthest reaches of the globe.