Wooden statues - a beautiful aspect of the spiritual culture of the Central Highlands people.

Folk wooden sculptures hold a special place in the spiritual culture of ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands. These sculptures express simple yet distinctive human aspirations, closely linked to the lives and activities of the indigenous people of the Central Highlands. Each artwork possesses its own unique expressive form and nuance, created by artisans using only rudimentary tools such as axes, chisels, and machetes. The wooden sculptures of the Central Highlands are unique because they don't follow any specific patterns, proportions, or standards in carving. Their creations depend entirely on the talent, skill, and rich imagination of the artisan. They simply gazed at the piece of wood, picked up a piece of charcoal, and drew a few lines along the curves and straight edges of the wood to define the shape of the statue. With a graceful and soaring movement, after just a few powerful and decisive axe strokes and machete blows, the statue gradually took shape. The people of the Central Highlands divide wooden statues into two main groups: tomb statues and decorative statues. The tomb statues always adhere to the strict regulations of the village. The wood from the forest is transported directly to the cemetery area; transporting it through the village is strictly prohibited. Sculptors only bring their tools to the cemetery and sculpt on the spot. The skilled craftsmen of the village will help the family carve statues in preparation for the funeral ceremony (Pơ thi). Logs of various shapes are skillfully carved by the village craftsmen into rustic statues such as a person sitting with their knees drawn up dejectedly, a woman carrying a child, a person pounding rice, a person smoking, a young man playing drums, and more. All these lifelike statues reflect the life and activities of the local people. Moreover, they express the affection and farewells of families and clans to the deceased.

The collection of decorative wooden statues is also very diverse, depicting household items such as water gourds, copper pots, or pets like peacocks, owls, and dogs... The fern shoot motif is a common decorative pattern in communal houses.

Heritage Magazine

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