Roots of Life

The people of Savu have four primary textiles; the ei ledo, ei raja, ei worapi and ei womedi. The ei ledo textile is worn by the the Hubi Iki (Lesser Flower Blossom) and ei raja textile is worn by the Hubi Ae (Greater Flower Blossom). The ei womedi is a primarily dark indigo blue colour. Medi means black. This is an important colour for traditional communities as it relates to fertility and womb which is where life begins. The culture of Savu and Rai Jua places great weight on ancestry, birthplace, and community life. The local traditional religion, called Jingi Tiu, requires every member of the village to participate in rituals and ceremonies.

The ikat motif on this textile is called aju ae meaning big tree such as wega (Ficus sp.), kepeka (Sterculia foetida) and mediri (Syzygium sp.). According to Savunese tradition, the placenta of a new born baby is hung in a big tree.

Warp ikat, two panels stitched together and sewn as a tube, commercial cotton, natural dyes. Ikat, tied, dyed and woven in Sabu, 2024. Size 163 x 59 cm / 64 x 23 in