The Wonderful World of Indonesian Fabric (Pesona Kain Indonesia)

 

by Threes Emir & Samuel Wattimena

 

ULOS Toba

Lake Toba, with its beautiful scenery and the regional dance known as Tor Tor, looks incomplete without a collection of ulos.

Ulos is synonymous with the Batak people and is woven in the Toba area of North Sumatra. The fabric is commonly worn for traditional ceremonies.

 

SONGKET Labuan Bajo

Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara has been designated as a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO and is the habitat of the ancient lizards known as Komodo dragons.

In addition to the beautiful natural surroundings, songket is a fabric that deserves to be collected.  The songket was originally used as a form of identification and again used in ceremonies of marriage, birth, and death, along with other traditional events.

 

TENUN GEDOG Tuban

Tuban, is a coastal area in East Java that consists of various religions and a combination of various Islamic, Hindu and Confucian cultures.

Tenun Gedog combines fabric with beautiful artwork and was originally used as the clothes of kings and aristocrats. Now, it functions more to bring good luck.  Interestingly, the name “gedog” comes from the sound of the looms as they produce the material.