Snapshots of Flores Trip
Kupang, Timor
We had a day layover in Kupang, Timor before departing to Lembata and Flores to visit our weaver groups. In Kupang we met one of the weavers we have worked for more than a decade. He was originally from Savu but has lived in Kupang for many years. We were delighted to see him practicing a scouring tradition for preparing threads before they are dyed which originates in Savu using kepaka Sterculia foetida seeds. Most weavers across the archipelago use kemiri Aleurites moluccanus for the oiling process as there is such an abundance of this resource. It was good to see that the Savu recipe is still being used thereby preserving the tradition.
Dried kepaka fruit Sterculia Foetida
Dyed threads being dried at the back of a weaver's house
Lamalera, Lembata
From Kupang, our next stop was to Lamalera on Lembata. We first visited a faja basket maker who is the husband of a textile weaver, we have worked with both of them since 1998. The faja is an important cultural object as it is used to offer betelnut at the time of the bridewealth gift exchange. We stopped at their house for a little bit and talked about the weaving situation in Lamalera, learning that the majority of younger weavers prefer to work with chemical dyes because it takes less time to work on, and is easier to sell the products.
Faja baskets made of lontar.
Visiting the basket’s weaver whom we have been working together with since 1998!
West of Lamalera
From Lamalera, we continued westward to meet with Mikael Doni, a passionate tradition keeper whom we have known since 2004. Mikael has nurtured a solid and heartwarming relationship with the women weavers of this community as if they were his mothers or sisters. The weavers have an old custom of singing songs called Lian Knatap as they work. Today many of the weavers, especially the younger ones, entertain themselves while they work with radio or phones so it was wonderful to listen to the old song hoping before they fade away from living memory.
Hand spinning cotton threads with a drop spindle.
When in Lembata, singing and dancing is a must!
East Flores
From Lembata, we headed to the most eastern part of Flores, where we spent the next few nights. Silence welcomed us as we arrived in the small town that we have been visiting since the early 2000’s. It was startling to see how few children were in the village as once children finish primary school, they pursue further education away from home either in Larantuka or Maumere which are several hours away. Men are also scarce as most chose to work in Kalimantan or Malaysia on palm oil plantations in hopes of making money to send home to their families. Of course these circumstances affect the continuation of weaving as the young generation are not growing up participating in the weaving process and the men’s absence places a heavy burden on the women to take on many more chores.
During our time there, we were invited by the community to attend a large ceremony for the traditional house. We also got to accompanying some of the weavers to find sea snails on the beach. These snails kinge are used as embellishments on the traditional textiles after they are dried, cut, and prepared to be sewn onto textiles. This village is located on the southern coast of Flores and we were privileged to share their “catch of the day” for a delicious meal during our stay.
A very large squid can be prepared to serve a large number of people in this community.
From sea to table. Served here is pan-fried squid, stir-fry kangkung water spinach, sambal, kecap manis, soup, and assorted fresh vegetables.
Joining the weavers to find kinge seashells.
Gems from the sea, kinge!
The next day began the ceremony for the traditional house Koke Bale which is located on the hillside just outside of the village. Given our long time relationship with this community we were allowed to participate in this ceremony which was based on the need to refurbish the lontar palm Borassus flabellifer roof of the Koke Bale clan house. The replacement of the roof is done as an expression of gratitude for the year’s harvest. It was an honor to be there to witness it! Seven different clans live around this central traditional house and each of these communities had a specific role to play throughout the ceremony.
The beginning of the Koke Bale ceremony.
Kreot beloge, with embellishments of seashells Kinge in the middle section of the cloth, as worn by women during the ceremony.
Maumere, Watublapi and Ende
Our last days in Flores were spent in Maumere and Ende. The textiles in Maumere and Ende have been getting more recognition domestically over the last few years resulting in increased demand for these textiles. With this boom, it has become increasingly more difficult to find dye ingredients, such as the red dye mengkudu Morinda citrifolia. With less of this dye resource used in the process means that the red on the textile is much lighter in colour. On a more positive note, we were also glad to see one of the weavers taking the initiative in planting more Morinda trees which was inspired by the workshop that Threads of Life and the Bebali foundation offered to master dyer weavers earlier this year. We hope that the practice will continue and help restore the more traditional colour palette.
Seedlings of Morinda citrifolia.
A weaver showing off her textiles accompanied by her dog .
At the end of our trip we were fortunate to sit with a master weaver while she shared the stories of the motifs with us along with some of the younger weavers. As her memory is fading, other weavers chimed in with their own understanding of the meaning of the motifs which resulted in an engaging intergenerational discussion.
Story circle with the elders sharing stories to the younger weavers.
