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.