A Weaving Revival
Traditional weaving in the islands of Bali and Lombok once disappearead for an entire generation, because the youths thought it was old-fashioned and unprofitable. They preferred instead to work in the cities. But today, the art of traditional weaving is making a big comeback, thanks to the weavers of Sidemen, a mountain village in Bali,s Karangasem district. The weavers are led by I Wayan Suartana, a passionate and creative artist whose enthusiasm has caught on across the channel in neighboring Lombok Island. There, in Marong village, the weavers have been experimenting and creating their own unique motifs. As a result, the woven cloths of Sideman and Marong have become very popular in and out of the country. At the Jakarta Fashion Week 2013 in November, these woven cloths were prominently modeled in a variety of styles and designs. Tempo English journalists Syari Fani and Ijar Karim traveled to Bali and Lombok to see the source of these woven creations.
December 4, 2012
The incessant clacking of the weaving looms could be heard at the top of the steps in the Pondok Tenun Ikat Endek Warna Alam (House of Woven Fabrics), Bali Arta Nadi, in Sidemen village, Karang Asem, Bali. Scores of teenage children were weaving on manual looms. One of them, the 13-year-old Kadek Ayu Ratih, has been weaving there for two months. If I weave at home it is not certain that the fabric will be sold and (that I will) make money," she sa
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