Threads of Life: Who We Are

Who We Are

Threads of Life would not function were it not for the dedication of a skilled team of field staff,
administrators and retail staff.We pride ourselves on employing women and men from across the
archipelago. Our staff is from the islands of Bali, Java, Timor and Sulawesi and represents the Hindu,
Moslem, Catholic and Protestant faiths.

	I Made Maduarta (Pung) Co-Founder and Staff Ethnobotanist Ubud, Bali "When I visit a weaver's family home in a remote village somewhere, and there are dirt floors, curtains instead of doors in the door frames, no electricity or running water, and the chairs we all sit on are gathered from among the neighbors, and yet a beautiful meal is served to us using everything they have available that day, I am reminded what true generosity is, and what faith in life is. I feel there is an exchange going on: I share my understanding of business with them to help them achieve material prosperity; they share their understanding of community with me and I learn invaluable lessons about maintaining relationships."
	I Made Rai Artha (Lolet) Co-Founder and Staff Ethnographer Ubud, Bali "The textiles really speak to me. Learning where they are from, how they are used, and the stories that they represent are important to me. It connects me to the weavers and their communities."
	Jean Howe Co-Founder and Co-Director Ubud, Bali "I enjoy sharing the rich cultures and traditions of these weaving communities with guests from other countries. I love sharing stories and giving visitors an idea of how vital and yet fragile these traditions are, and experiencing that sense of our interconnectedness."
	William Ingram Co-Founder and Co-Director Ubud, Bali "I have come to understand the local cultures, manners and customary law of different regions while working with Threads of Life. I always find it very rewarding to visit the communities and see their dedication to the weaving and natural dye processes over the years. I feel that I have family all over the archipelago!"
	Aprilia Saraswati Retail Staff Magelang, Jawa tengah "I am happy to be working at Threads of Life because I can work and learn at the same time. At Threads of Life I am learning about my own culture through the traditional textile art. I am proud that I can support these weavers who are all magnificent and creative women. Threads of Life is my small way of making a contribution as an Indonesian to preserving our natural environment and continuing the natural dye weaving heritage by sharing information with the local and international community."
	Desak Made Dwi Juniantari Retail Staff Klungkung, Bali "I'm happy to be a part of Threads of Life. I learn a lot here, especially about textiles and how to understand the amount of work that goes into making one. I am proud to be part of an organization that is so intent on helping to sustain the cultural arts of Indonesia."
	Ni Wayan Weti Gallery Manager Denpasar, Bali "When leading a tour of Balinese weaving communities it is rewarding to be able to explain about what we are seeing, and to see people comparing the quality of textiles they can find in the villages with what is commissioned for the gallery. In 2006, I went to the YPBB Foundation's Nusantara Weavers' Festival in Timor and met weavers from many of the cooperatives Threads of Life works with. That was a wonderful experience."
	I Gde Bagawad Githa Finance Manager Kedewatan, Ubud "I value being able to study while I work and to help other people in way that fits with my character and way of thinking. It's also been exciting to learn about other parts of Indonesia."
	Ni Wayan Supariani (Yansu) Administration Manager Bangli, Bali "I've worked at Threads of Life since 2003, and what continues to impress me is the work atmosphere. It's safe, pleasant, peaceful, and prosperous and is managed family-style. I've had many new experiences, I have learned a lot, and I am given many opportunities to continue learning and growing. I now appreciate the textiles, including the production processes, the stories of the motifs, the ritual uses, and the culture. And I understand much more about lives of the women who make them and the challenges they face."
	Daud Manggalatung Field Ethnographer and Interpreter for Sulawesi Rantepao, Sulawesi "There is openness amongst us at Threads of Life. We know each other like family, even though we may be far apart. In Sulawesi, which is the only area I can really talk about, Threads of Life grants the weavers their full rights, particularly concerning the price they get for their textiles. I mention this because the reality for these weavers and communities in Sulawesi is often otherwise. Is there anything we are doing that I'm not proud of? Not at the moment. And what of future progress- who knows? It will be determined by the decisions of the communities we work with."
	I Gusti Ayu Asri Dewantari Accounting Assistant Blahbatuh, Bali "After I first joined Threads of Life, at the first monthly staff meeting, I suddenly felt like I was in the middle of a big family. When I first arrived I didn't know anything, but everyone was so patient in the way they showed me what to do."
	I Ketut Wenten Field Staff Denpasar, Bali "What I most enjoy is learning about the cultures and textile arts of the areas we work in. That, and coming to understand the different character of people of different ethnic groups on different islands."
	I Komang Sujata Field Staff and Natural Dyer Pejeng, Bali "Coming to understand the names, types and places of origin of the textiles we sell has been important to me, as has making all the friends I have here."
	I Luh Mariani Staff Conservator Bangli, Bali "What is most important to me is the friends I have made at work: they are like a family. I have learned to stand up for myself too, when dealing with local suppliers for the office, and have overcome my inhibitions when struggling to talk to customers at the gallery who don't speak English or Indonesian."
	I Made Agus Wiguna (Dekgus) Information Technology Manager Ubud, Bali "I enjoy all the collaboration with my colleagues and how it improves our work. I especially like editing video materials and making our placement in a Google search improve. I have also been able to learn a lot from cataloguing the photos field staff bring back about customs and cultures on the islands we visit."
	I Made Mustika Head Gardener Payangan, Bali "I really enjoy being a part of this organization as my own love of gardening and nature is such a strong part of Threads of Life. The respect for nature and its beauty and what it gives us is taken by my friends in Threads of Life and shared with other communities who use these natural gifts to make textiles. I feel the strong connection to all of my co-workers here and the people in places I have yet to meet that are part of my country."
	I Wayan Sukadana Field Staff and Natural Dyer Ubud, Bali "Because of Threads of Life I have come to know the motifs and qualities of traditional ikat textiles. More than that, I have been able to visit the exact places these textiles come from and make many friends among the weavers and dyers we work with."
	*Ni Kadek Sukartini* Support Staff Tabanan, Bali "I like to work at Threads of Life because I learn new things all the time: for example helping to prepare textiles for sale by sewing the linings for hanging the textile. At Threads of Life I have a lot of friends and feel that people understand me and care about what happens to me both at work and at home."
	Ni Komang Suryaningsih Support Staff Pejeng, Bali "I have had so many new experiences while working with Threads of Life. I feel I have such good friends here. I used to think that all textiles were the same but I can see I am wrong. From just the little bit I have already learned, I can see that each motif has its own story."
	Ni Komang Darmini Administrative Assistant and Weaver Pejeng, Bali "My colleagues here are like my family. We are very social, but we are also disciplined in our work. I've learned a lot from this about how to manage my time and value other peoples' work, especially the weavers and, of course, the textiles they make."
	Ni Made Desa Perwani (Tutut) Administrative Assistant & Facilitator Ubud, Bali "When I think back on my time with Threads of Life, the strongest impression was made when I was made the Master of Ceremonies for the opening of an exhibition on Balinese textiles in December 2006. It was my first experience of speaking in English to an audience of two hundred people! I was nervous, but I enjoyed it and was proud to have contributed to the events success."
	Ni Nyoman Sri Natari Administrative Assistant Dye Studio & Herbarium Singapadu, Bali "Every day at Threads of Life makes an impression on me. Until working here I didn't even know that islands like Lembata and Savu existed. And then there are the beautiful textiles from all these places. Learning about them gives me a sense of pride in Indonesia and its incredible cultural diversity."
	*Ni Putu Ena Marbeya* Administration Accounting Ubud, Bali "I enjoy working for Threads of Life because the people in this organization respect each other and we are doing something that is good for Indonesia and the world. Even though I am working in the accounting department, I am encouraged to learn more about textiles. We have monthly talks by the people who have been working in the fields with the communities and here I am able to learn about each area and their textiles. I know that if I want to move into another area of the organization in the future that I can do that as we are all encouraged to learn and grow. I am glad for the opportunity to work with Threads of Life."
	Putra Susangka Human Resources and Information Technology Consultant Denpasar, Bali "When I was invited to join Threads of Life I felt very honored. It was at a time when elsewhere I had no recognition. At Threads of Life I have been able to develop my potential and felt much supported in doing so."
	Wilhelmus Daos Kadati (Willy) Field Ethnographer and Interpreter for Timor Kupang, Timor "What's most interested me in working with Threads of Life is the research I've been asked to do into the textile traditions of Belu and TTS regencies in Timor. What I've most enjoyed is the field trips to Savu and Flores."