Cotton and Betelnut

There are only a limited number of primary motifs used in the making of a sekomandi and all have cultural and social relevance. The primary motif on this textiles is called Tosso balekoan which represents a niddy-noddy that is used for making skeins of yarn after being spun from cotton and lelen sepu a betelnut container. Sekomandi textiles are used to decorate the traditional houses during ceremonies as a sign that the entire ritual cycle had been performed such as weddings.

A cloth like this sekomandi from Sulawesi will take up to six months to complete with a single woman overseeing all aspects of the work, tying motifs onto threads from memory, dying the threads and weaving. All while she continues to take care of her family and work in the fields to bring home food. The sale of these textiles represents a significant source of income for these weavers.

Information about the makers will be supplied with each cloth.
Warp ikat, two panels stitched together, open fringes, commercial cotton, natural dyes. Ikat tied, dyed and woven in Mamuju, Sulawesi, 2023. Size 210 x 130 cm / 82.5 x 51 in