Pat B is right about compression woods for a rattan back.
Red cedar and juniper may be better in compression than in tension, but both are much weaker than almost all hardwoods.
Yes, almost all hardwoods have better compression strength than juniper or eastern red cedar -- except for the compression wood specimens of juniper or ERC, which have even more compression strength than most hardwoods.
However, as you know, non-compression juniper and ERC are lighter than almost all hardwoods, and have better elasticity and flexibility, as well.
I don't even consider sinew-backed juniper bows to be wooden bows -- they are in a special grey area somewhere between wood bows and horn bows. Juniper's properties are very dissimilar to wood in some ways.
Juniper and eastern red cedar also steam bend better than most hardwoods, including maple.
Incense cedar has even better properties than red cedar and even Juniper, and is often found straighter grained and knot-free.
Another wood to try out, if you kind find any, would be tamarack.
