The Korowai, a tribe who live high above the ground in forest tree houses in the dense jungle of Papua, Indonesia. Today, their unique way of life is undergoing rapid change, under the impact of modernity and the actions of the Indonesian government. (Martin Gros/maptia.com).
THE EVENT
In 2015, the students of Architecture of the University of Indonesia went to Papua to learn about the Korowai tribe in the event name is Ekskursi (Excursion). The event is held by the student council of architecture of the University of Indonesia once in every two years. The event is about introducing and exhibiting the vernacular architecture in Indonesia. As we know, Indonesia has many tribes and some of them have their own unique way to live. In the discussion long before, we agreed to set the Korowai as our destination for establishing their vernacular architecture because the Korowai have their unique way to live in the high above the ground in the forest of Papua. I had a chance to join the team of Ekskursi 2015 - Korowai, Papua as the charged person in the team of the exhibition.
THE INSTALLATION
The art installation was the part the exhibition that was held at the National Museum of Indonesia months after the big team came back from Papua. The installation, called POHON ( 'tree' in english), established the poetic of tree which the Korowai has a different value as its function to be their house. In my perspective, I see the connection among the trees and the Korowai when they rely their lives to the trees and the trees itself gave the environment also the ambience to protect and nourish them.
The installation consists of three parts and each part represents the idea of what is tree for the Korowai and how they use it as the structure of their shelter. The main material are the trunk, bamboo, branches that we took on the ground, and semi-transparent paper. The first part has the largest diameter and it resembles the ambience when people are in the woods seeing the sunlight infiltrate through the gaps of branches. The second and the third part have the smaller diameter. The part where bamboo module put on the trunk would tell people how the Korowai seeing the tree as supporting parts of their shelter in the high above on the ground. The part which the trunk itself symbolizes the tree as the nurturer for the Korowai by letting them taking some parts of the tree to fulfill their needs, such as food, and others stuffs.
more info check instagram @ekskursiarsui
