The Art of Weaving: Discovering the Beauty and Cultural Significance of Hand-Woven Fabrics from The Last Weaver
Bali has a valuable woven cloth craft called “Tenun Cacag” which once existed in Banjar Dentiyis, Batuan Village, Sukawati District, around the 1950s. This woven cloth was a big interest for foreign tourists visiting Bali. The beautiful “Tenun Cacag” with various motifs is usually sold to hotels that tourists use as souvenirs.
Made Mirib continued to weave after helping her daughter-in-law complete the household chores. “I weave, so there is something I can do,” she said. There are a few tenun made by Made Mirib. It probably can be counted on the fingers. Made Mirib made the tenun not for sale but only for personal use. The Tenun is usually used to decorate the holy place where Hindu people pray. This woven cloth was also made for his granddaughter. “I made one for my granddaughter. It was used by her when dancing the Rejang Sutri at the Batuan Village Temple,” she explained. The tenun has a high potential to be sold, but Mrs. Made never really thinks about it. Even if it were sold, she estimates that a piece of cloth 1 or 2 meters long could cost millions of rupiah. It’s just that, at that price, people rarely buy it except for those who see the cloth as a work of art. As she remembered, every resident’s house had a loom in the past. Now, some still have tools but are in damaged condition. Some have even been demolished. “Because my eyes are already myopic, I weave using feelings only,” she added.
Made Mirib continued to weave after helping her daughter-in-law complete the household chores. “I weave, so there is something I can do,” she said. There are a few tenun made by Made Mirib. It probably can be counted on the fingers. Made Mirib made the tenun not for sale but only for personal use. The Tenun is usually used to decorate the holy place where Hindu people pray. This woven cloth was also made for his granddaughter. “I made one for my granddaughter. It was used by her when dancing the Rejang Sutri at the Batuan Village Temple,” she explained.
The tenun has a high potential to be sold, but Mrs. Made never really thinks about it. Even if it were sold, she estimates that a piece of cloth 1 or 2 meters long could cost millions of rupiah. It’s just that, at that price, people rarely buy it except for those who see the cloth as a work of art. As she remembered, every resident’s house had a loom in the past. Now, some still have tools but are in damaged condition. Some have even been demolished. Made Mirib admits that he still weaves, relying on the taste at this old age. “Because the eyes are already myopic, I weave using feelings only,” she added.
This traditional cultural heritage of weaving needs to be preserved, the artistics attributes of this artform are highly valuable.
