Articles tagged ‘Textiles’
Batik – an Intangible Heritage Wonder
By Barrie | May 26th, 2008 |
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Batik is a popular decorated textile but for Javanese, it means much more — it embodies a philosophy that holds importance from the cradle to the grave. It is still a common practice to wrap newborns in batik cloth, and a piece of batik selendang (scarf) is regularly used to carry the baby around. When [...]
Conserving Eastern Indonesian Artefacts
By Barrie | April 2nd, 2008 | Add a Comment »
Australia is currently sponsoring a three-week workshop and training program at the East Nusa Tenggara Provincial Museum in Kupang to help conserve fragile wooden and bamboo artefacts from Eastern Indonesia. Rare and precious cultural heritage items from Eastern Indonesia are commonly made of wood and bamboo, so it is anticipated the workshop will be of [...]
Preserving Textile Weaving: Bali
By Barrie | April 1st, 2008 | Add a Comment »
Life’s threads are drawn from tales of the past; its rituals and religions woven into the fabric of culture and lands. Across Indonesia, this weaving of life’s threads is a link to history, and the stories of lives embedded in textiles. For centuries, women across the archipelago have been the storytellers of their cultures, daily [...]
The Weavers’ Ritual: East Sumba, West Nusa Tenggara
By Barrie | March 9th, 2008 | Add a Comment »
There are two kinds of ikat (woven textiles) in East Sumba — hinggi, which is intended for use by men, and lawu, a songket (embroidered piece) or sarong made of fabric interwoven with gold or silver thread for women. Aside from being used as items of clothing worn daily, these two types of textiles play [...]
Floral Designs and Meanings: Bali
By Barrie | March 9th, 2008 | Add a Comment »
Each island and, relevant town or city within those islands has their own batik design. These are easily recognisable. In most cases, these designs (pola) have significant meaning. In Balinese religious ceremonies flowers and offerings are ritually essential elements. Flowers, used as a means of communication between them and the Gods exist everywhere – in [...]
Promoting and Preserving Ikat: Sumba, West Nusa Tenggara
By Barrie | March 7th, 2008 | Add a Comment »
It was a drizzly afternoon and 42-year-old Umbu Anton sat idly by the corridor of the main gateway into Waingapu market. Lengths of ikat (woven textiles) from East Sumba lay neatly in a pile in front of him, while other textiles he was selling hung displayed on the wall behind him. Most of the woven [...]
Traditional Textile Exhibition: Jakarta, West Java
By Barrie | March 5th, 2008 | Add a Comment »
An upcoming exhibition showcasing more than 100 samples of antique fabrics from around the country — including batik, embroidery and woven pieces — promises a rare and exquisite experience for textile lovers. The main highlight of the exhibition, titled Adi Wastra Nusantara or the Showcase of Traditional Textiles of the Archipelago, will offer the rare [...]
Preserving the Weaving Ways: Donggala, Central Sulawesi
By Barrie | February 5th, 2008 | Add a Comment »
Most people associate traditional weaving techniques with Sumatra, but in Donggala regency in Central Sulawesi another weaving industry should be equally famous. Buya sabe, or woven sarongs, are woven by women in the traditional manner on a loom in Donggala. It can also be made by machine in modern factories, although only in Java because [...]
Pasar Kebun Sayur: Balikpapan, East Kalimantan
By Barrie | February 4th, 2008 | Add a Comment »
Kebun Sayur market in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, is famous for its gemstones and semi-precious stones, with buyers both foreign and local regularly visiting the market in search of jewelry and other handcrafted wares. Most famous among the market’s offerings are gemstones, such as agate, amethyst, opal, topaz and turquoise.
Keeper of the Sikka Culture: Flores, East Nusa Tenggara
By Barrie | January 22nd, 2008 | Add a Comment »
Had Alfonso Horeng chosen to pursue her master’s degree in agriculture science, the lives of 200 women or more on the island of Flores would surely have been different. During the year 2007, Alfonso — who is often referred to as “the keeper of the culture of Sikka” on Flores — has participated in 12 [...]
