Karangasem, On the Wallace Line

Traditional Weavers in Karangasem

In the last few years, it’s difficult to locate weavers or weaving craftsmen in Karangasem. However, having gone for a stroll across this easternmost territory of Bali, Bali Travel News ultimately succeeded to encounter I Wayan Karya. This villager of Banjar Kangin, Seraya village is noted as a successor of tradition to weave in Karangasem.

I Wayan Karya who was a hamlet chief, is now capable of amassing ten of his villagers. They comprise household mothers up to young girls of the local village. They look outstandingly zealous to weave bebali cloth. This kind of cloth is still be used as ritual paraphernalia in Bali. Some are used as decoration, while others are used as napkin in restaurants. These villagers established a craftsmen group named ‘Usaha Tenun Warna Alam’ , which literally means Weaving Works of Natural Colour.
As its name implies, all raw materials are taken from the nature at their surroundings. They plant cotton that will be spun into thread and ready to weave into fabrics. In the meantime, its colouring agents are made from several kinds of plants. They make use of certain kind of leaves, sap up to roots such as that of tibah (Morinda citrifolia), pomegranate and some other kinds of grass.
Even their weaving tools applied are overly ancient. It may have reached the age of hundreds of years and inherited from their predecessor. "From long ago, our elders had a tradition to weave traditional cloth (bebali). Now, it’s our turn to maintain this tradition," Karya observed.
Purchasers of bebali fabrics are mostly local Balinese, while the rest are foreign tourists or art enthusiasts, particularly those having a great interest on fabrics applying natural colour. This craftwork is situated at easternmost tip of Bali Island. Pass by the Soekasada Oejoeng Tourist Object and Jemeluk Beach, Abang sub district before getting to this village.
Though barren, hilly and stony, the panorama of this village is really enchanting. From the point of this village, you will catch a sight of the spreading beach and Lombok Strait with the backdrop of hills, Mount Bisbis and Mount Lempuyang.
According to Karya, apart from purchasing the bebali weaving fabrics, many foreign tourists also purchase the powder of natural colouring agent that he processes at home. "Except from natural colouring agent made from plant, we also utilize the element of iron as stiffener so that the colour could have a good adhesiveness. On that account, we also frequently use the unused submerged liquid of corrosive iron," he said while adding that a number of village elders at the village, including his father, collect the bebali fabrics that have been achieving 100 years of old.
"This heritage fabric was woven by my grandfather," he said while adding that such a fabric is used on the ritual like otonan or wedding ceremony. (BTN/budana)