The seventh and final part of the temporary exhibition IKAT – 'Rituals around marriage' by Collectief Teru, made up of Atêf Sitanala, Jaïr Pattipeilohy and Lesli Taihuttu – can now be seen in the museum. With this exhibition Collectief Teru brings to a close the travelling exhibition 'Mahina – A tribute to women', which began in 2016.
Rituals around marriage
"In the spring of 1951 more than 12,500 Moluccans came to the Netherlands for what was then thought to be a temporary stay. This year, 2021, many people are marking 70 years of Moluccan presence in the Netherlands and various commemorations are taking place. In recent years commemorations have become ever more important within the Moluccan community. They bring new traditions with them and strengthen cultural identity.
Alongside the rituals brought from the Moluccas that play an important role in the cycles of life – such as birth, marriage or death – these commemorations are becoming a new ritual. How far do these new rituals relate to the old ones? And how are new rituals given shape in the Netherlands? With this exhibition 'Rituals around marriage', Collectief Teru sets out to answer those questions. The focus lies in particular on the role of women."
Collectief Teru
Teru consists of Atêf Sitanala, Jaïr Pattipeilohy and Lesli Taihuttu. Three friends with a shared passion for stories, photography and Moluccan culture in particular. Teru means three and refers to their collaboration. In the Moluccan world view the number three has a deeper meaning. Here one plus one is three. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. By joining forces they strengthen each other's qualities.
"To mark 65 years of Moluccans in the Netherlands, the first exhibition of Mahina – A tribute to women took place in 2016. Over the past five years we have used Mahina, at home and abroad, to draw attention to the important role of Moluccan women. With this exhibition the travelling exhibition comes to a close."
The exhibition 'Rituals around marriage' is part of the temporary exhibition IKAT and can be seen until 31 December 2021. Curious about this remarkable exhibition? Click here for tickets.
MHM collection update
The MHM collection, previously housed in the museum in Utrecht, has been in storage since 2013. The collection cannot yet be seen in The Hague. Our curators are working hard on unpacking the entire MHM collection and examining its condition. They want to make part of the collection accessible to the public again as soon as possible. Read also the column 'A museum without a museum' by director Henry Timisela.
