Abstracts

Abstracts of Presenters
Second ASEAN Symposium on Traditional Textiles
(revised 15 January 2009)

BRUNEI

Traditional Textiles in the Malay Culture of Brunei Darussalam
Dr. Siti Norkhalbi Haji Wahsalfelah
Academy of Brunei Studies, Universiti Brunei Darussalam

The use of traditional textiles is predominant in royal court ceremonies such as weddings, the sultan’s birthday, and investiture ceremonies. Aside from ceremonial costumes, both locally produced and imported traditional textiles feature in a plethora of other paraphernalia, including use by commoners. The production, consumption, and sustainability of such textiles in Brunei have been closely related to ceremonies held in the Malay culture in Brunei. This paper focuses on their use in these ceremonies.

CAMBODIA

National Museum of Cambodia Textiles: An Impulse of Modernity
Ms. Gillian Green
Honorary Associate, Dept. of Art History & Film Studies, University of Sydney

The National Museum of Cambodia possesses a collection of early twentieth century silk textiles showing pictorial themes prepared in the resist dye technique familiarly known as plangi. The Cham/Malay Muslim women in Cambodia used this technique to create their headscarves patterned with geometric star and flower patterns. However, the motifs on these particular textiles—animals, birds, architectural structures, cars and bicycles—indicate functions not associated with traditional headscarf use. Of great interest are two Javanese cotton batik textiles of approximately the same age with remarkably similar compositions and motifs. The presentation will explore and compare motifs seen on the Cambodian and Javanese textiles and propose a different view on their actual function and historical significance.

Silk Textiles in Cambodia: Development, Manufacture, and Sustainability
Mr. Seng Sopharith
Deputy Director of Human Resources at the Artisans d’Angkor Co., Ltd and President of Khmer Arts and Crafts Association

Richly illustrated, the paper will describe the development, manufacture, and dyeing of silk dying in Cambodia. It will also look into its sustainability and modern production.

GUAM

A Preservation Project and Its Paradoxic Problems:
Sustaining Traditional Textiles on Fais Island in Micronesia
Dr. Donald Rubinstein
Professor of Anthropology and Micronesian Studies at the University of Guam

The paper describes recent efforts to revive the production of machi, a sacred ritual textile woven from hibiscus and banana fiber by women of Fais Island, a small raised coral island in Yap State, Federated States of Micronesia. These efforts at cultural preservation encountered a central paradox: the sacred significance and cultural value of the machi derive mainly from its symbolic association with chieftainship, yet the chiefs’ resistance to the commodification of the machi and chiefly restrictions that surround the customary production and use of the machi were obstacles to the success and sustainability of the cultural preservation project.

INDONESIA

Setting up a Community Textile Museum
Mrs. Asmoro Damais
Founder, Batik Museum, Pekalongan

Pekalongan, known also as the City of Batik, has long been famous for the colorful and flowery patterns on sarongs and hip clothing. On March 2005, Imam Sucipto Umar from the Berkah Foundation invited Asmoro Damais to speak on the future of Pekalongan batik. Ms. Damais stressed the importance of establishing a museum that would create a collection of local batik for the public to admire, study, and observe. She and some others later broached the subject with the new mayor of Pekalongan, and the rest was history.

Kanekes Cloth, Textile of the Baduy in West Java
Mr. Don Hasman
Textile researcher

Don Hasman will speak about the textiles woven and worn by the Kanekes people. Also called the Inner Baduys, they mostly live in isolated communities in West Java. The Kanekes continue to produce textiles using traditional techniques and their simple garments stand witness to the origin and long-held beliefs of their culture.

Re-Inventing Tradition:  A Marketing Strategy
Dr. Ananda Moersid
University of Indonesia

What is typically known as “tradition” is something that appears to be “old” but often has a recent origin or even constitutes a new re-invention. If “authentic tradition” can be constructed or reconstructed for political interests or, as so often happens, for the sake of tourism, how is tradition—in this case the traditional textiles—to be positioned with the global market pounding at the door ? There is a tendency to assume that only cultures, whether ethnic, national or regional, that are capable of translating their qualities into marketable commodities will globalize well. What is the role of craftspeople, designers, entrepreneurs, and patrons of traditional arts? How do we render our “tradition” fit for competition in the global market? This paper will look at globalization as a phenomenon not to be feared and avoided, and explore ways in looking and finding the sources of our creativity.

Kain Bebali: Reviving and Sustaining Balinese Sacred Textiles
Ms. Lesley Pullen
Researcher and Lecturer, Material Culture of Southeast Asia

Based on her 2008 MA dissertation, this paper reflects her 2007 fieldwork research into the contemporary production of traditional ceremonial textiles in East Bali and Nusa Penida. This paper studies the production techniques of a number of forms of kain bebali (sacred cloth), and examines how the evolution in the use of dyes, returning from aniline to natural dyes, has restored the quality and revived the production quantity of these woven textiles. Across this landscape, the sustainable cultivation of dye, mordant, and cotton plant materials, and the revival of traditional processes culminating in hand weaving, has enabled the production of kain bebali to reflect once again valued local customs. With the support of NGOs, working through village co-operatives, a sound financial basis for such production is being established and the fine quality of these textiles is truly being revived. pullen.london@btinternet.com

Reviving the Ulos Batak Weaving of the Batak of North Sumatra
Mr. Merdi Sihombing
Community Organizer, North Sumatara

Ulos is a type of weaving central to the culture of the Batak people of north Sumatra. Considered an important object of tradition, the Ulos woven textile, when worn in rites marking important events, denoted the status of the wearer. Ulos weaving steadily declined in past decades owing to modernization and unfavorable environmental factors. Timely intervention by certain groups with government support made it possible to arrest its gradual disappearance by promoting a program of ‘continuous improvement’ in local classrooms and art centers, as well as encouraging older weavers to teach young women who intermarry into other ethnic groups and follow their husbands. In doing so, the motifs learned inherently from their elders in their respective areas are enriched by patterns learned from their new adopted homes, creating an altogether mix of patterns. The type of Ulos textile produced by these younger women weavers are currently enjoying a revival as designers continue to use it to produce upmarket and exclusive fashion products.

LAOS

Old Lao Textiles and Dyeing Secrets Revealed
Mrs. Taykeo Sayavongkhamdy (demonstrator)
Taykeo Textiles Gallery

She began collecting antique textiles form Laos some fourteen years ago, eventually discovering how some of these were woven and dyed. She experimented and found colors similar to those of the old textiles and developed new dyes as well. Her objectives were to keep the weaving traditions alive and train younger weavers to appreciate and learn how these were made.

MALAYSIA

Songket: A Malay Weaving
Dr. Siti Zainon Ismail
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

The meaning of songket, the gold in Malay weaving, will be described within the context of its function and aesthetic value in the Malay world. The Malay Peninsula and its neighbors have had long histories with China and India, trading partners that brought cotton, silk, and gold threads to the region. The twelfth century Malay courts stood witness to the appearance and use of songket along its Islamized coastal regions. Islam’s influence may be seen in the motifs, designs, and style of wearing garments. Until the sixteenth century, songket was used exclusively by the royalty and nobility, the latter during official or traditional functions. Songket was also utilized at marriage ceremonies and sent as gifts by the groom to the bride, a tradition that continues in Palembang, Minangkabau, Riau, Batu Bara, Malay Peninsula, Brunei and Sulawesi. Design motifs, colors, and garment styles are important and vibrant evidence of the cultural heritage and continued tradition of the Malays.

The Sun and the Moon: Mystic Iban Textiles of Malaysian Borneo
Mr. Edric Ong
President of Society Atelier Sarawak (Arts and Crafts Society of Sarawak, Malaysia)

The weaving goddess Kumang was believed to have given the Iban master weavers
through their dreams the symbols that they wove into their pua kumbu warp ikat textiles. This ancient cloth was specially made for rituals and festivals and the Iban woman’s status in her community closely hinged on her abilities as a weaver. Pua kumbu textiles with the special buah matahari and buah bulan motifs were used in ceremonies associated with the eclipse of the sun and the moon. Today, Iban weavers of Rumah Garie longhouse, along the Sungai Kain (River of Cloth) in Ulu Kapit District of Sarawak, use silk while they continue to weave the sun and moon motifs. These silk pua kumbu utilizing natural dyes and traditional back-strap floor looms have received international acclaim and prizes from UNESCO and the World Crafts Council Asia Pacific.

MYANMAR

Shan Dress and Textiles: Ancient Traditions, Modern Trends
Dr. Susan Conway
Centre for Southeast Asian Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies

This paper will examine the textiles and body decoration of the Shan States of Burma (Myanmar) in the context of ancient ritual practices and recent innovations. The Shan are Theravada Buddhists but have a strong belief in spirit religion (generally described as animism). Shan manuscripts (Tai Yai, Tai Khoen and Tai Lue) contain formulae for chanting ceremonies, mystical diagrams from the Buddhist cosmology, illustrations from local mythology, and mathematical and astrological calculations. With reference to these manuscripts, Buddhist monks and shaman have for centuries created formulae to harness positive energy or to create negative energy. Their formulae were printed on textiles and clothing, and incorporated in body decoration. Modern adaptations in design and production demonstrate how these conventions have evolved and been adapted to meet current needs.

Creating Alternative Product Lines to Meet Challenges
Mr. Thein Lwin
School of Archaeology (Pyi), Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library, Ministry of Culture

Myanmar is a land rich with natural resources such as large reserves of forests and mineral ores. The mainstay economy is agricultural production, which the government views as the base of their development, in tandem with the rest of the economy. Much of the natural resources and handicrafts remain in the country. One of the most widespread handicraft activities is weaving, a tradition regarded with great pride for its beauty. However, the industry is increasingly less vibrant and its mass production remains a challenge as it is unable to meet strong commercial international demands. The country seeks to examine creating alternative product lines to meet these challenges, initially exploring cooperation within the ASEAN region.

Chin Backstrap Loom (gyapkhout hand-loom) demonstration
Ms. Thint Thint
Cottage Industry, Sounder Waving Industry, Ministry of Cooperatives

Textiles in Myanmar are stunning, with each region and ethnic group identified with a particular style. Designs are woven in hand looms called gyapkhout (backstrap looms). Textiles made by the Chin, Kachin, Karen, Naga, and Akha are in high demand. Chin fabrics, particularly stunning, are made on simple backstrap looms where the warp is circular and continuous. Homegrown cotton and “flax” or hemp are often dyed with indigo and other locally produced natural dyes. The structure of Chin textiles has become simplified, as weavers choose easier ways to achieve the intended result. Simultaneously, the decoration of Chin textiles has tended to become more elaborate, covering a greater portion of the textile surface and employing more modern yarns and colors.

PHILIPPINES

Southeast Asian Textile Links in the Philippines
Dr. David B. Baradas (Philippines)
Committee on Intangible Heritage, National Commission for Culture and the Arts

It is in the areas of Mindanao in southern Philippines that people resisted Spanish colonization for as long as they were able and it is also here that significant links with mainland and Island Southeast Asia remain most discernible. The abaca (a banana plant species) weavers of eastern Mindanao and the Muslim silk weavers of western Mindanao retained their relative independence until the beginning of the 1900s. Distinct influences from other Southeast Asian countries surface in the cultural material and motifs of the different Muslim ethno-linguistic groups, while the abaca weavers share much in common with their counterparts in the hinterlands of Borneo and the many islands of the Indonesian Nusa Tenggara. These links are the most valid reflection of the traditions shared by Southeast Asians before the arrival of the Europeans.

B’laan Ikat Dyeing and the Difficulties and Hopes in Reviving A Weaving Project
Yabing Dulo, Helen Lacna, and Maribeth Farnazo (Philippines)

The presentation takes up two topics: (a) traditional B’laan ikat dyeing, as recollected by a surviving practitioner, Yabing Dulo; and (b) the difficulties and hopes vested in a weaving revival project, by Helen Lacna and Maribeth Farnazo, the initiators of the Lamlifew Village Museum of Sitio Lamlifew, Malungon, Sarangani Province. Lacna and Farnazo will relate the long process by which they formed their Lamlifew Tribal Women’s Association, and where they are in their work today. Dulo, on the other hand, weaves alone in her sitio, assisted only by her daughter, because her lot as the only B’laan ikat dyer of note means being a singular and isolated culture bearer. Dulo will be translated by Lacna and Farnazo. The three women will give time for a long question and answer session.

The Indigenous Genius: Weaving Success into Our Lives
Ms. Cora Jacob (Philippines)
President, Cora Cares Foundation, Inc. and La Cora Creatives, Inc.

With the wealth of traditional textiles that span the Philippines, promoting its beauty and fine craftsmanship to the world market has often been taken for granted. Over the past twenty years, the Cora Cares Foundation, Inc. has been conducting research, product development, and training on handbag-making, utilizing traditional textiles and other natural fibers and offering sustainable livelihood to hundreds of artisans. The fruits of their production bring pride and much needed hope. The success of these beautifully crafted handbags in the world market represents a certain fulfillment of their potential. Images and samples of these colorful and innovative products will be showcased during the presentation.

Re-Inventing Piña in Palawan: Creating Change, Developing People, & Strengthening Communities
Ms. Adelaida Lim
Writer, filmmaker, gourmet cook, co-founder of Café By the Ruins, Baguio

Weaving textiles is not a traditional craft of the Palawan, although basket-making is a native skill. Living austerely with next to nothing, the fisher folk labor in a fishless sea while the hunter-gatherers wander in a deforested domain, landless. Is there a livelihood for them? Rurungan sa Tubod Foundation crafts an intervention to encourage entrepreneurship among the women. On invitation from these communities, weaving workshops are conducted. The community provides space for the workshop and materials to build the looms. The natural fiber textiles are marketed as high-end products.

Of Beauty & Prowess:
Tradition & Modernity in Contemporary Bagobo & Iban Ikat Textile Practice
Dr. Cherubim A. Quizon
Seton Hall University, New Jersey

The ikat textiles of Southern Mindanao, the Philippines have striking stylistic similarities with the ikat cloth-making traditions of both highland Borneo/Kalimantan as well as key communities is Eastern Indonesia. Assumptions about Southeast Asian cultural continuities that are largely based on stylistic studies of material culture, however, do not always hold up upon broader ethnographic scrutiny especially when we take into account the detail & nuance of contemporary field-based data. This paper will compare two ikat textile traditions, inábal of the Bagobo of Southern Mindanao, and pua/kumbu of the Iban of Sarawak by examining specific techniques, their aesthetic implications & how modernity itself is interpreted by them through contemporary textile practices.

The Philippines confronts contemporary issues: case studies and proposed measures
Dr. Norma Respicio
The University of the Philippines

Various issues confront traditional weaving communities today and cases of four textile weaving communities are cited: (1) Ilocos weavers, who produce finely woven textiles with designs formed by impalagto staccato lines in warp or weft float weave on plaids, unabatedly slide to oblivion; (2) Ifugao weavers, who specialize in ritual ikat (binudbudan) designed-blankets, cash-in on the influx of tourist visiting the rice terraces, inscribed by UNESCO as a world heritage; (3) T’boli t’nalak weavers play along with foreign entrepreneurs; and (4) tapestry weavers of Sulu, who produce pisyabit, a square head cloth traditionally for the exclusive use of Tausug warriors, are resilient and/or defy the militarization of the region.

Immediate measures to revitalize textile weaving traditions and ensure their survival would include: (1) declaration of weaving communities as “peace zones;” (2) inclusion of textile weaving and natural dyeing in the curricular program of secondary schools and in higher education courses such as Fine Arts and Clothing and Textiles; and (3) regularize national and local seminars among weavers, cultural workers, tourism workers, and members of the academe to continuously raise awareness about the textile art tradition; and (4) encourage and support local governments to initiate programs for the recognition of local master weavers, establish community weaving schools with master weavers as teachers, and conduct research on materials, product development, and promotion.

SINGAPORE

Peranakan Beadwork and Embroidery: A Closer Look at Nonya Traditional Craft
Mr. Randall Ee
Curator, Peranakan Museum

Beadwork and embroidery were important crafts once practiced by Peranakan Chinese women (Nonyas) in Singapore. They offer good examples of the hydridized nature of Peranakan Chinese material culture, with their use of Chinese silk, European glass beads, and velvet. These were used to execute colorful motifs drawn from both Asian and European influences. When a newly married Nonya brought these skills into her new home, she carried with her the desirable and strict upbringing that many traditional Peranakan families expected of their women. While most Peranakan collectibles like ceramics, jewellery, and furniture were prefabricated, the small personal items of beadwork and embroidery like wedding slippers, cigarette pouches, and clutch purses were largely made by the Nonyas themselves, and had the honour of being undisputedly ‘authentic’ and Peranakan in nature.

THAILAND

Traditional Southeast Asian Textiles in Contemporary Painting
Mr. Wattana Wattanapun
Faculty of Fine Arts, Chiang Mai University &
University of Technology Rajamangala Lanna, Chiang Mai

My work combines painting and the colorful and intricate patterns of textiles, many by ethnic minority women. I often portray women beneath the threads—images of weavers woven into the textiles themselves. The textile metaphor carries the spirit of Southeast Asian beauty—the very beauty often manipulated and violated at the hands of those who would exploit and abuse the powerless. I attempt to encourage reflection about our biases—what we choose to see and not see. The paintings are meant to reveal what is covered and, by doing so, look more closely at the complex social fabric hidden beneath.

TIMOR LESTE

The primacy of cloth:  the Timorese experience
Sra Cecilia Da Fonseca
Manager, Economic Development & Textile Cultural Preservation, Alola Foundation, Dili, Timor Leste

Textiles are the pre-eminent art form of Timor Leste, with marked regional differences, and have always played a pivotal role to play in ritual, ceremony and exchange.  From the isolation and ethno diversity of communities in Timor have sprung traditions that are distinctive and unique.   Nevertheless, the cloths form  part of the continuum of South East Asian textiles, with marked affinities  with the ikat work of eastern Indonesia.  This paper touches on the the importance of establishing a public interpretative space/museum that would create a collection of local weavings for the public to admire, study, and observe, and ensure that the fine art of Timor Leste textiles continues to  stand witness to the origin and long-held beliefs of their culture.

VIETNAM

Thai and Cham Textiles of Vietnam and Their Influence on Southeast Asian Textile Traditions
Dr. Michael C. Howard
School for International Studies, Simon Fraser University

The Thai and Cham people of Vietnam are associated with two of Southeast Asia’s great weaving traditions. The present paper provides a summary of these traditions and examines their influence on weaving elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Ancestors of the Thai in Vietnam developed a rich culture that is commonly referred to as Dong Son, whose influence can be seen in material cultures of peoples throughout Southeast Asia and is especially evident in certain textile motifs. The present paper discusses these motifs with particular reference to those woven using the supplementary warp technique. Although not as known as those of the Thai, Cham textiles have also influenced the weaving traditions of neighboring peoples. The paper will explore the influence of Cham weaving on peoples to their immediate west, including the Khmer and peoples living in the adjacent highlands. Links between Cham and Balinese weaving will also be discussed.

Conservation and Development of Traditional Weaving of the Cham in Vietnam
Dr. Thanh Phan
Center for Vietnamese and Southeast Asian Studies, Vietnam National University

Weaving among the Cham is one of their earliest traditional industries. It existed and was developed in close association with the civilization and culture of the Champa (7th to 15th century). The Cham, who speak a language related to the Malayo-Polynesian Acehnese, constitute the Muslim communities in Cambodia and Vietnam. There are also some 4,000 Cham in Thailand. Today, their woven products bestow on the Cham a unique identity. A market exists for these products, but not large enough to compete with industrial textile production. Without measures to conserve and develop this weaving industry, Cham weaving will continue to diminish.

A Cham Weaving Demonsration
Mrs Phu Thi Mo
Cham weaver

Cham traditional textiles trace back to hundreds of years in the provinces of Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, and Ninh Thuan. In My Nghiep village today, Cham weaving is well preserved and the technology itself has developed into a large-scale production industry that has resulted in profit.

In My Nghiep village, we use two types of looms (see below). I will demonstrate the second one:

  • Long loom with one to two persons operating it; it is used to weave products that measure from 1.5 to 30 centimeters in width and 120 meters in length. The products include hem wire, girdle wire, and belt wire, among others.
  • Short loom with only one person operating it; used to weave products that measure from 30centimeters to 100 centimeters in width and 2.5m in length. The products include fabrics, skirts, scarves, and sheets, among others.

Sustaining Traditional Textiles in the Hinderlands of Vietnam
Ms. Luong Thanh Son
Director, Museum of Dak Lak

Safeguarding traditional handicrafts and textiles of the Ede, Mnong, and Gia Rai communities in Vietnam is the aim of this paper. Challenges in modern times have confronted peoples in the hinderlands of Vietnam, where the traditions of knitting and weaving, specially of household utensils, have had a long history. These products not only meet their daily requirements, but serve as cultural symbols of the past. In the face of swiftly disappearing crafts and know-how, the presenter proposes that the State issue policies that could guide the Ede, Mnong, and Gia Rai to restore and develop their traditions, specially those pertaining to textiles. The State should seek the reinstatement and maintenance of the rich cultural diversities in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. This culture region promises many hidden surprises and the region’s needs fall right in line with the goals of other nations in Southeast Asia. luongthanhson2005@yahoo.com

IRAN

Similarities of Tablet Weaving in Iran and Southeast Asia
Ms. Shahla Amini
Faculty of Applied Arts, University of Art, Tehran

Serving as a medium for expressing emotions and belief, tablet weaving is one of the simplest ways to produce art, yet one of the most difficult to imitate. One finds some of the earliest sources of tablet weaving in East Asia and the Middle East, where it was rediscovered in the nineteenth century. Its practice has one of the longest historical precedence in Iran. My research has focused on collecting written and unwritten evidence of tablet weaving and its revival through articles, lectures, and teaching. Cultural ties through the Silk Road and the spread of Islam may have established communities of tablet weavers in the past, a fact that may prove strong impetus today to renew its practice among peoples who have shared in its history.