Island hopping

After a century, the Náprstek Museum takes an anthropological tour of the Indonesian archipelago 

By Shariffa Abdulrehman, The Prague Post, March 12, 2009

 

Dr. Pavel Durdík visited the island of Nias in the 1880s; after decades out of view, his artifact collection shows at the Náprstek Musuem of Asian, African and American Cultures. (Michael Heitmann)
 

A Czech physician wandering the Indonesian island of Nias would be unusual under any circumstances, but more interesting is that Dr. Pavel Durdík took his trip back in 1880. 

His wanderings on a small archipelago just west of Sumatra are documented by artifacts now displayed at the Náprstek Museum of Asian, African and American Cultures. 

The exhibition "Of Ancestors and Myths" attempts to anthropologically recreate late-19th century Niasan life. The 40,000 euro ($50,000/1.1 million Kč) joint venture between the Culture Ministry and the Indonesian Embassy will run for three years. 

Durdík's travels began with his service as a medical doctor in the Netherlands Colonial Army and lasted until 1882. At the time, he was regularly corresponding with Vojta Náprstek, the founder of the Náprstek Museum, laying the groundwork for this cultural collection.  

"We found in Vojta Náprstek's correspondence notes that he would have liked to present the Nias items, but they were never shown and have been in storage for 120 years," said Dagmar Pospíšilová, head of the Asian arts department at the Náprstek Museum. 

Durdík's collection of items from Nias, now owned by the museum, contains more than 1,100 objects, 250 of which are displayed in this exhibition. 

"As a doctor, he gained the trust of the Niasans and entered their houses, and thus had immediate contact with their everyday material and spiritual culture," said Anna Jezberová, co-author of the exhibit. "He took an active interest in all areas of their life, including their work, religious beliefs, the position of men and women in society, their architecture, jewelry and rituals." 

The Náprstek Museum possesses one of the world's largest collections of Nias items, which has been made more precious in recent years as the Niasans have lost some of their own historic treasures in recent years. 

"We had the tsunami disaster at the end of 2004," said Azis Nurwahyudi, head of chancery at the Indonesian Embassy. Many Niasan artifacts were destroyed, he added, though a collection remains at a museum in the capital of Jakarta. 

The decision to move forward on this exhibit also came, in part, because of floods. A previous Asian cultures exhibition at the Liběchov Castle was damaged during the devastating floods of 2002. This, combined with reading the letters between Náprstek and Durdík, spurred action. 

Niasans call their country Tano Niha, "the land of the people," and themselves Ono Niha, "children of the people." An ethnic group that speaks its own Niasan language, Niasans have a culture in many respects unique from the rest of Indonesia. Many of the old traditions have faded in the face of global modernity and globalization. 

"It's important for us that he [Durdík] collected all the artifacts from the people there, and now, a century later, it has a very high historical value," said Nurwahyudi. 

The Czech and Indonesian governments have a 1958 agreement to cooperate on cultural matters. Another exhibition is to be unveiled in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, to celebrate Indonesian and Czech connections. It is sponsored by the Czech Pacific Company, and, while details are yet to be confirmed, Nurwahyudi says, "It's actually the idea of Mayor Pavel Bém."
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Nias - The Islands of Ancestors and Myths

Location: Náprstek Museum of Asian, African and American Cultures Betlémské nám. 1, Prague 1
Opening hours: Tues.-Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Admission: 80 Kč (basic), 40 Kč (reduced), 120 Kč (family), free admission on the first Friday of the month 

Shariffa Abdulrehman can be reached at features@praguepost.com