Cotton shawl

Unknown artist

\"Ragidup" or "ragi idup", is commonly translated as "motives of life"; "ragi" means "figures or the pattern of a garment", idup "life". (van der Tuuk 1861:432). The cloth contains motifs of the universe such as man, both male and female, the animal, the crop, the earth. The motifs can be seen as symbols of fertility, expressed in the coming together of man and woman (main motifs in the white ends), and of rain (stripes in the middle lane) and earth (white ends) (Niessen 1985).‖ Since the second half of the 19th century, such cloths have been made mainly in the village of Hutagalung (suburb of Tarutung). A less attractive version, technically speaking, is manufactured around Muara (southwestern shore of Lake Toba). Presumably, the manufacture of this type of cloth was once more widespread.‖ This cloth is given to a bride by her parents when she is seven months pregnant. In this case, the cloth is considered to be an ulos ni tondi, garment for the soul, which is supposed to bring prosperity to the daughter, her pregnancy, and her future children and family. Only when all her children have married and all have had both sons and daughters has she earned the right to wear the cloth. Thus, the cloth is an important symbol of social success. \Among the Simalungun Batak, it is also given to a bride by her mother.According to Jasper and Pirngadie, the cloth is used as a sling by distinguished heads (1912:222). Niessen (1993:86, fig. 67; 90, fig. 90), reproduces state photographs of colonial times in which the women show their rank and station by means of the ragid cloth. The Toba Batak south of Lake Toba call this cloth their "number one" cloth (Niessen 1993:23). On Samosir, the cloth is considered important, but the blue cloths such as the sibolang and surisuri, may serve the same ritual functions.The ragidup cloth can be used to cover a coffin (Niessen i.p. (2004)).\Jasper and Pirngadie mention how the cloth is used during divination: the stripes in the midfield of the middle strip are counted down with ´ulos ni raja (robe of a raja), ulos ni hatoban (robe of a slave), ulos ni raja etc. to find out whether the cloth is going to bring salvation or calamity to the owner (1912:225).‖ In the weaving of the 'ragidup', a number of special weaving techniques are used. First, the warp is extended during the weaving process. The midfield of the cloth (usually red with white stripes) is woven first. Then a white warp is inserted and the remaining red and white warp is cut out. A framework (antaran) is used in this operation (see Jasper and Pirngadie, 1912:222, fig. 214). Then the white warp is woven. This technique is characteristic of the ragidup. In the very similar cloth, pinunsaan, this technique is not used (usually the end fields were woven separately and then sewn to the middle strip). In the "bulang" cloth, which is similar in some respects to the "ragidup" cloth, a variation of this technique is used which replaces rather than extends the original warp threads (Gittinger 1975, Niessen 1988/89, Niessen i.p. (2004).Secondly, the side webs are woven as separate cloths, but at the same time on the same weaving machine. When finished, they are sewn to the midfield (Niessen, i.p. 2004).‖ Third, instead of using pickers, supplementary weft patterns are applied using pattern slats (idem). Jasper and Pirngadie give a detailed overview of the motifs (1912:223-225).‖ Finally, the 'jugia', the suppletory chain stripes that form the boundary between side and middle strips, are elaborately made, which is not unusual for important ritual Batak cloths.