Greetings from SUMBA #14

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CURRENT LOCATION: Lombok, Indonesia

LOCAL TIME: 14h30

LOCAL TEMPERATURE: 34 degrees

CURRENTLY READING: Yellowface - R.F. Kuang

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Hi there!

I really did mean it when I said I would not wait that long like last time to send a new newsletter. Moreover, because it’s about a topic very dear to my heart: ikat weaving. As mentioned in “Greetings from Sumba #17”, I started my three-year Ph.D. in October and will be continuing my research on Garment Durability (Article 1 and Article 2 for those who are interested, hellooo anyone?). As you all know (hint name of this newsletter), I live in Sumba. And although I am doing the research with the support of my school in Paris, I am using the incredible opportunity to do my work here, on the beautiful island I call home since July (which is already 8 months ago).

Weaving in the kampung of the women, learning it step-by-step

Sumba is world-renowned for its ikat weaving. The textiles are used to tell stories and have great cultural value to the Sumbaese communities. The art (karaja means art) is practised almost exclusively by women and is passed down from generation to generation from mother to daughter. The process involves dozens of steps and it takes at least 3 months to make an average-sized ikat. Like so many other things, ikat is under threat since western-style clothing has become more accessible and younger generations have lost interest in traditional clothing. This means that every time an older person in a village dies, some of the ikat knowledge dies with them (remember that the skills are passed on orally and nothing is written down).

Karaja Sumba - The art of Sumbanese weaving

Woman in the proces of weaving

Karaja Sumba is an incredible social enterprise founded by Asty, an islander who has a passion for weaving and even more for empowering women. Her idea? To give women, who are often victims of domestic violence, the opportunity to become financially independent with their weaving business.

She has now gathered more than 150 weavers together, all of whom weave to find a way out of their often abusive situations. The women can weave at home, giving them the opportunity to earn money while caring for their children and running the household. Asty has worked hard to ensure that they return to their traditional methods, especially when it comes to using natural dyes (plants, tree bark, leaves, …) instead of chemical ones. The indigo plant, for example, can produce an infinite number of colours depending on how long you boil it, how often you soak it and how you dry it.

During my time in Sumba, I visit one of the kampung (a traditional village) for several days every month. I talk to the women, observe and gradually learn more about the process, the culture and the context in which it all takes place. The fact that I can go there regularly means that I get a much better understanding than if I had only gone once. The former requires a collaborative approach. research', whereas the former is more of an ' I see, I interpret, I take and I go' (hence the growing awareness of the colonial side of research). I'm really fascinated by the art of weaving, and my interest gives the weavers a sense of appreciation (I mean this in a way that is anything but arrogant, but say it because Asty highlighted to me how much validation the weavers always get when foreigners visit them and show interest) for the work they feel is so ordinary.

Natural dyeing “ingredients”

Going there also gives me a little escape from the foundation, a little refreshment from my work there and a moment where I have some time to myself. Combining a PhD with a full-time job is ambitious, and I'll keep you posted on how that develops over the next few years (I am sure a few rough moments will be part of this journey), but it’s also really exciting. As much as I love my job at SHF, it's really nice to work on and develop my own project and it can also help me plan my life after Sumba. Not that I'm already thinking about that, on the contrary, but the different projects together make it so interesting and also feed into each other. By living in Sumba, I understand the constraints and opportunities much better than a visitor, while the contact with my school in Paris gives me a different perspective that allows me to question things and take a different approach. It's true that when you've been on the island for a while, you become "blind" to certain things, and when you leave the island or talk about it with outsiders, it does allow you to remain critical and have a fresh look on things.

And although Hestie loves to be busy and do a zillion things at the same time, I still want to do them well. Finding a balance between everything and especially taking a break every now and then is so important and will only do me and my work good. Just writing this down more as a reminder for myself than anyone else.

Stay tuned for more updates, I've found my writing flow again so it shouldn’t be too long before you hear from me again.

Happy greetings from Sumba!

Hestie -x-