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Balinese Woven Cloth
The
Balinese elders in primeval time—on
all occasions taught the women to weave
by themselves to fulfil their own clothing
needs. Even, since entering the adolescence
period, they were taught to become professional
cloth weavers and at the same time made
this activity side job to add up the family’s
income.
Therefore, it is not surprising if in every
household always heard ‘the booming
sound’ of bamboo blades or loud scrapes
of weaving tools. The more so in the evening,
its sound will be heard tremendously piercing.
While, in the afternoon, some may be arranging,
colouring or spinning thread with jantera
(traditional spinning wheel).
This activity made home courtyard filled
up with thread strings so it would then
become an appealing view for children. They
often played cheerfully among such strings
that were fastened on certain places.
At all times, girls did weaving activity
until late night while they were chatting
with young men that dropped by for a visit
(usually desired to win their love). How
an immensely entertaining work it was, moreover,
if the girl had a boyfriend, so the activity
of weaving in the evening would become,
at the same time, a romantic moment to knit
charming expectation and prepare the future.
For the elders, observed their girls weaving
and accompanied by young men was concurrently
made an opportunity to select their aspirant
son-in-law. Therefore, the activity of weaving
came to be a great moment in the life of
the Balinese in the past as this could drive
self-confidence and self-contained attitude
in the household life. As a consequence,
up to these days, the Balinese always prepare
spinning wheels on the wedding ceremony
and then moved by the bride that signifies
their whole-heartedness to become a trustworthy
wife and ‘knit’ their harmonious
household, while the men hoe the land as
symbol they become chief of household will
unceasingly work hard to maintain the survival
of their family.
The diminishing of weaving activity in Bali
has come about since tourism turned to be
developed in large scale. Many Balinese
entered a field of tourism service industry
so they leave traditional work. Including
in the manner of fashion habit, they take
that outside Bali as a model. Clothes of
weaving products are merely employed for
the sake of ritual needs or customary activities.
Right now, the look of Balinese people conforms
to overseas fashion trend of which materials
are modernly manufactured in the factory.
The opening of the Ngurah Rai International
Airport caused tourist visits to Bali to
increase. Amongst them, some could capture
a business opportunity in the clothing industry
by establishing garment enterprises. Similarly,
Balinese women turned to become sewers instead
of weavers where they operated factory-made
sewing machine. The most prominent brand
name of sewing machine at that time was
“Butterfly”. Indeed unclear, whether
there is any influence of romantic activity
of weaving to selection of “Butterfly”
sewing machine, as butterfly for the Balinese
connotes romantic animal, a sucker of nectar
that all the times appears in the romantic
song lyrics of bachelor and bachelorette
that are falling in love.
This garment activity also suffers a rise
and fall. In the mid of 1970s, the growth
of garment industry in Bali flourished rapidly.
In 1976, garment production of Bali reached
thousands pieces of cloth per month, even
in 1986 Bali exported 6,25 millions garments
that was worth USD 22million. At that time,
garment industry dominated nearly half of
total export commodities of Bali like handicrafts,
coffee and vanilla.
Bali Regional Office of Industrial Affairs
estimated over 20,000 people are employed
in garment industries. This industry did
not produce traditional cloth like endek
and batik or other traditional kinds. Clothing
industry supplies the export demand by contracting
Balinese women as sewer to make shirt design
that uses cotton, rayon fabric or combination
of both.
These clothes are produced in Java, then
conveyed to Bali and finally cut and sewn
in Bali. Centre of garment industry lies
in Kuta, Sanur and Denpasar area, even not
long ago it has entered to rural nooks and
crannys.
Just as the weaving activity, garment industry
also employed women groups. For those that
have got married, they run garment business
at home. Further, their products would be
delivered to the factory and paid in accordance
with the capacity completed.
Right now, in the midst of the still sluggish
condition of tourism industry, there are
some garment factories that come to bankruptcy
and many garment workers returned to in
their original weaving work. Endek clothes
is their products now regained special place
in the heart of community, namely it is
used to make the uniform of employees, students
and civil servants’ and this progressively
increases. A large amount of endeks cloth
are also exported, even some fashion designers
now make use of this cloth as its basic
material. It is indicated by fashion show
at starred hotels that highlights design
made of endek cloth.
Are you interested to have clothing made
of endek? Numerous fashion shops, supermarkets
and souvenir shops sell them. Make sure
that souvenir you purchase during vacation
in Bali is endek that woven by the Balinese.Ketut
Sumadi Contributor of Bali Travel News
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