Sacred Double Ikat as Heirloom Cloth

In the Balinese village of Tenganan Pergerinsingan, geringsing has become synonymous with double-ikat. Double-ikat is the demanding process whereby warp and weft threads are ikat dyed independently, then precisely and accurately woven such that motifs coincide to create the patterns in the finished cloth.

Geringsing literally means “sing against gering sickness”. The textiles are said to be magically protective and are used during ceremonies for the ancestors and gods as well as in ceremonies for humans. This double ikat textile is called an akuub, meaning “to join together” using two geringsing pat likur textiles, or two geringsing petang dasa, sewn with the white salvages showing. The white salvages are essential to the design of the cloth as they are said to contain the energy of the body of the cloth so that it does not dissipate or slip out of the cloth.

The motif on this double ikat textile is locally called a dogs’ molar although it is often described as a cross cut of a stupa or Candi guarded by 4 scorpions at each entrance. Names and meanings are held as village secrets which a person within Tenganan only understands after going through the 1 year ashram studies that all young people of age must undertake. 

A textile with this clarity of design and depth of colour would take more 3-5 years to complete.

Information about the makers will be supplied with each cloth.
Double ikat, two panels stitched together, handspun cotton, natural dyes. Ikat tied, dyed and woven in Tenganan, Bali, 2017. Size 164 x 120 cm / 64.5 x 47 in