Traditional textile weaving is an art form that Indonesia is particularly famous for – works of art known as ikat are created by craftswomen who incorporate a variety of technical skills: weaving, dyeing, and embroidery using natural fibers from tree bark, leaf fibers, hand spun cotton, and silk. Some of the textiles are embellished with beads, coins, shells, and gold or silver threads. The range of technique, pattern, designs, colors and materials used by different ethnic groups in their textiles is endless. In fact, every ethnic group in the Indonesian archipelago has its own exclusive textile motifs which represent humans, flora, fauna, or mythological figures as well as abstract expression, but ikats from Sumba are especially famous throughout the world. These ikats are highly collectible pieces and are displayed in private collections and museums in Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas.Sumba is one of the islands in the southernmost part of the central archipelago and has been famous for the art of hand woven textiles for many generations. It is a relatively barren island because of its very short wet season, but behind the barrenness is a beautiful, ancient culture, dating back to the New Stone Age. On this island, textile weaving is the chief means of artistic expression. Sumba is divided into east and west, each having a very distinct style of textile. In both areas, Sumbanese women do their weaving during the quiet hours in the heat of the day, in the shelter under their houses on stilts. Many people are surprised that such beautiful works of art come from such a tough area.
Most ikats from Sumba are woven using the resist method, which takes its name from the Indonesian word mengikat (to tie) and involves binding some material at intervals around the yarn prior to weaving in order to prevent dye from coloring all the yarn. This process is then repeated until the yarn is multi-colored. Once the yarn is dyed, weaving is done on a back-strap loom, with the warp threads affixed to beams. While one end is attached to a grounded object (tree or house post), the other end is secured to the weaver with the tension maintained by a strap placed around the weaver’s back as she sits on the ground.
Although Westerners generally purchase ikats for decorative purposes, such as wall hangings, the traditional use was for clothing. For example, pieces of ikat were often woven in pairs and worn as loincloths and shoulder-wraps by men. The major figures on the woven clothing for men were drawn directly from the local environment – for example, horses, deer, dogs, monkeys, sea horses, snakes, roosters and cockatoos. Another typical design depicting skulls dates to former cultural practices where it was the custom to suspend the heads of vanquished foes on a tree at the center of the village to frighten away enemies and ensure prosperity.
Women’s ikat sarongs with motifs similar to the men's ikat clothing were usually worn for special occasions, such as feasts, wedding ceremonies, ritual dances, or funerals.
Recently commercial factors have influenced the quantity and style of weaving. New designs have been introduced and production has been stimulated because of the large tourist market in nearby Bali. Traditionally, the top and bottom patterning on ikat clothing are usually mirror images of each other, but those now produced for the tourist market often have a single design which repeats the whole length of the textile.
It is because of the tourist market, as well as some foundations that are working to preserve Indonesia’s cultural heritage, such as Himpunan Wastraprema and Threads of Life, that traditional Indonesian textiles are no longer in danger of extinction and hundreds of weavers who live in remote areas are able to continue their art.
Head Master "Dayak" in Indonesian
"Reog Ponorogo" in Indonesian
"Tari Pedet" in Indonesian
"Tari Java" in Indonesian
"Wayang Kulit" in Indonesian
