Tanimbar: The House as Status and Memory in Maluku

The islands of Tanimbar, located among the Maluku chain (sitting between Timor and West Papua) historically contain a sort of “ultimate house society.” Marriage and descent on this island has been varied and confusing, thus houses mark clan identities more than do people. Tanimbar dwellings customary sit in long rows, the most important of these called lolat. Lolat designates structures defined by the women from these homes given out in marriage, typically in earlier times. That is, women who left their natal homes to live elsewhere with husbands still remain the most important ancestors in their houses of origin. Thus, a certain female ancestor defines a row of houses, as bloodlines flow from mothers and create connections between homes. These female bloodlines carry names and only named houses may be part of lolat rows. Greater and lesser rows exist in terms of social status. People once believed that house rows could stretch to ancestors and the next world; the sources of life. The house in Tanimbar society thus became the focus of importance.

Homes stand on piers and relatively simple, pitched roofs comprise almost the entire structure. Buildings lack much adornment but customarily contained valuables within. Lolat homes once possessed exquisitely carved wooden altars, as complex, abstract human figures with out-stretched arms. These symbols of ancestral status are almost lace-like in curving detail and were made nowhere else. Christianity caused people of Tanimbar to abandon such altars and now most survive in foreign museums.49 Moreover, much has changed regarding cosmological ideas, and many customary rows of homes have fallen into decay. Yet, these unique structures and intricate marriage patterns still persist to an extent and notions of social status and lineage identity are likely still important.

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