This cotton, batik banner in buff and blue has many varied motifs that include human figures, buffaloes, horses, circles, scrolls, tendril-like forms, birds and other geometric and highly stylised floral designs. Ceremonial banners of this type, also known as 'sarita', are regarded as sacred cloths by the Toraja people, who believe they are made from special yarns, divinely given. The images are all the things that the Toraja value for wealth and abundance, and similar imagery is seen on wood carvings. These textiles could be worn, or hung from tall poles in front of the great houses, and used in life and fertility ceremonies.
