Tais: The Textiles of Timor-Leste

by Maria José Sacchetti, Architect, Faculty of Architecture, Technical University of Lisbon.

Tais mane in previously spun cotton, dyed with chemical pigments, in warp-faced ikat (Bobonaru).

The long and narrow island of Timor with - according to a Maubere legend - a shape similar to a crocodile, is located in the Indonesian archipelago, less than 500 kilometres from Australia. The island is divided in two distinct parts: the Western part, under Indonesian domain and where evidence of Dutch colonisation can still be found, and the Eastern side, today independent and predominantly influenced by the Portuguese.

Traditions rarely remain static in this island; new ideas and techniques, some from distant islands, were absorbed and reinterpreted over the centuries, creating different solutions for new social and economic situations. Ethnographically, the Timorese can be divided in two big groups: the Atoni from Melanesia and the Tetum from Southern Belu, thought to be originally from Malaca. In the specific case of Timor-Leste, it is very difficult to identify and map the various ethnic groups. Still, today it is possible to find great cultural and linguistic diversity, mostly due to old internal wars and consequent integrations in subgroups and other ethnic-linguistic groups. This diversity has been transposed to the textiles, in terms of colours, motives and weaving techniques. However, the different languages make the study of textiles difficult due to the variety of the terms that apply to the same utensil or technique. Though Timor-Leste is divided into thirteen districts, there are nearly fifteen different languages distributed in a sparse and erratic manner throughout the territory.

The need for communication, particularly for commercial purposes, led to the election of tetum – native language of the Belus, spread by their conquest of the eastern part of the island of Timor – as the lingua franca.

The meaning of the textiles

Very elaborate Tais feton, carried out in warp-faced ikat and buna with bird motives.

As in other Indonesian societies, the Timorese textiles have a very important role in community rituals and as they are produced by numerous different ethnic groups they can be distinguished from each other, both in style and technique, and by their cultural meaning.

The primary use of the textiles, when they leave the loom, is not for clothing, except f or when they are already worn out or when the ceremony is celebrating the various phases of the life of an individual: presentation of a new-born, the hunting initiation day of a young warrior, marriage, funeral, etc.; or in certain rituals connected to group traditions: inauguration of a house, etc. In all these ceremonies, the individual, the family ancestry, family, and ethnicity or group in which the individual is inserted, are implied and it is here that the textiles gain a great importance as exchange products in social and economic relations, assuring the survival of the family lineage and of the group.

Fibres and dyes

Weaver, preparing previously weaved and chemically dyed cotton threads, to introduce as weft.

The various spinning and weaving processes take place essentially during the dry season. These are female activities and are greatly valued by the male and female members of each group that are all aware of the importance of the textiles in the aforementioned relationships.

The main fibre used for weaving is cotton. In the areas where this fibre is produced, spinning is usually still done manually, particularly for textiles that have a special character.

It is thought that Portugal was a great influence in the expansion and popularity of cotton as in the XVII century it established a significative commerce of this natural fibre, making Timor a known exchange centre at the end of the XVIII century, when cotton plantations reached their peak.

Commercialised cotton, pre-dyed threads and chemical pigments can easily be found in regional markets; Los Palos, for example, is known for its textile production using commercialised thread and chemical pigments.

Synthetic fibres have consistently intruded in textiles and today it is possible to buy most of them in the regional markets: rayon, acetate, acrylic, polyester, as well as metallic threads, mostly golden (previously obtained in some regions from the melting of Dutch coins).

Natural dyes are greatly used all over the island. In Timor, more than in any other of the islands in the archipelago, red is the dominant colour. Although the explanation for this fact is not very clear, some authors attribute this trend to an inspiration from the colour of flowering bougainvilleas during the dry season. For many Timorese communities, this colour is also associated to life, blood and courage.

Timor is known for the lively colours of its textiles, though this is not a common characteristic throughout the whole of the Timor-Leste territory. Most of the colours come from natural pigments from three sources, all easy to obtain in any region of the island:

Detail of the panel of a modern tais feton, executed in previously weaved cotton, dyed with chemical pigments, with a floral motive carried out in warp-faced ikat (Dili).

Detail of a floral motive of Portuguese inspiration, executed in warp-faced ikat in a tais feton (Dili).

Taun – A dark-blue or green to black toned dye can be extracted from the leaves of this shrub; once collected, the leaves are crushed in a pestle. One of the most popular recipes consists of adding water and limestone to the paste, causing a reaction with the leaves and turning the tint darker and permanent.

The limestone, mixed with other material when it is not commercially available, can be obtained from the grinding of seashells. This mix can rest for several days, with the thread emerged in the solution. The amount of time it remains in the solution depends on the desired lighter or darker tone of dark-blue or green colours; black, for example, needs a whole week.

Kinur - This is a saffron bulbous plant, whose stigmas are used for dyeing. Once these stigmas are extracted, they are reduced to dust and are mixed with more or less water, depending on the darker or lighter tone desired. The thread is immersed in this solution for a minimum of 24 hours; again, the amount of time the thread remains in the solution is connected to the desired vivacity of the tone. Depending on the recipe followed, all tones from the palest of yellows to the strongest of oranges can be reached.

Teka – The soft leaves of this tree are harvested and crushed in a pestle. Water is then added to the paste, the amount added depends on the desired tone of pink or red. By varying the number of the days that the thread remains in this solution, an endless variety of pink and red tones can be obtained, with varying degrees of brightness and vivacity.

Some of the solutions mentioned above are still cooked in clay pots. In certain regions of Timor, a good dyer is seen to be similar to a medieval alchemist. All weavers have their secret recipe to get the desired tone, be it brown, blue, green, yellow or pink.

The process can take from two or three days to a few months depending on the complexity of the tone and the number of colours that need to be mixed. The aforementioned recipes are the most simple; some of them can reach high levels of elaboration depending on the amount of natural products that are added to it and that can work, for example, as the colour fixers or mordant, or, when speaking about natural dyes, where attaining a colour is possible only through the addition of alkaline solutions and not water.

The threads that are to be dyed in a certain colour and that need a mordant, must be immersed in candlenut or tamarind seed oil for approximately a week.

The dyeing processes can take place throughout the various phases of the weaving process; they do not need to take place only in the beginning, as will be illustrated in the description of the different weaving techniques. The recipes or formulas of the dyeing processes have been transmitted verbally from mother to daughter over the generations, without a written register. The recent wars that took place on the island have endangered this ancient cultural legacy.

The spinning

Once the cotton plant is harvested, the seeds, or ledu in tetum are removed. For this process, utensils named fatu-ledu, cotton gins, are used. They are made out of two wooden cylinders between which the cotton passes, or, in a more primitive set up, with a bamboo stick that when made to rotate creates pressure on a fragment of a tortoise shell.

The cotton is then combed to remove impurities and then spun using a twisting technique.

In this phase, the thread attained by this method can have a number of purposes: either it is folded in skeins to then be dyed, made up in a ball of yarn and lastly weaved in the plain colour bands of the textiles; or it is made into balls of yarn that will start the skeins which, once positioned in the correct frame, allows the weaver to start the ikat technique before the threads are dyed.

The traditional looms

The construction of the frames for the ikat method and for the looms is generally left for the men. Though complex in the way they work, in most cases they have a rudimentary appearance.

The frame for the execution of the ikat resembles a structure of not much more than four wooden sticks placed in the shape of a frame, where, with the help of other straight and mobile sticks, the skeins are scrupulously stretched. Once the threads are parallel to each other, the weaver begins her rigorous tying work, covering small portions of various threads, forming a design that will only be visible several days later after the threads have been dyed and the skeins stretched again in the warp.

The looms, far more complex in their components but equally rudimentary, are waist looms (looms held by a strap that passes behind the back of the weaver). This makes the weavers work on the floor with stretched legs, mostly on mats they made themselves, stretching the loom and the warp with the tension exerted by their own body, through the strap that goes behind their back in the lower-back region.

This kind of loom allows work with a continuous warp that, with the weaving methods of the region, produces textiles with the same features and designs on both sides, that is, without a right side up.

Weaving Techniques

Weaving a tais feton, where the central panel has a motive previously executed in ikat (Oekusi).

Timor is known not only by the quality of its textiles, but also for the different decorative techniques. The Warp-faced Ikat (ikat in a warp, where the warp threads predominate over those of the weft) is carried out in all regions. It is one of the main techniques and the most relevant as its characteristics are strongly associated to those of the island and not of the rest of the archipelago. Neither the Portuguese nor Tetum languages have a word, or a set of words, that can translate this technique in an exact manner.

The ikat technique (tie before dye) can be carried out in warp or weft threads; in Timor-Leste it is seen solely in warp threads. This decorative process is used to reproduce drawings from cards used in basketry motives, or, most common today, due to Portuguese influence, drawings on paper that were destined for crochet. In this art, the cotton threads, still in their original colour, are laid out in the ikat frame. The weaver, following the design, will tie dry vegetable strips or raffia to the various threads, covering areas that correspond to the motive. Once this task is complete, the skeins are removed from the frame and are dyed in the chosen colour. The united sections resist the dye. After the threads have been dyed and before the weaving, they are treated with a tapioca and water solution to harden them, making it easier to weave the pattern that, ideally, is very tight and clear. The tied sections are then undone and the design comes through in the original colour of the thread, surrounded by the new dye colour. Once the warp threads are weaved, with only one weft thread of only one colour, they are washed several times in cold water so that the textile is softened by dissolving the solution that hardened it. The dyes are prepared with such care and expertise that, in this process, there is hardly any loss of colour. The final appearance of the colours is smooth and subtle, almost faint, with ikat motives that look like a negative of the natural colour of the threads.

Detail of an embroidery of the central panel of a tais mane, decorated with narrow bands on the side, made of motives in sotis, dating from the end of the XIX century to early XX century.

Detail of a religious and floral motive, of Portuguese inspiration, carried out in warp-faced ikat, in a tais mane (Oekusi).

Examples of traditional motives in chemically dyed ikat with a black motive in a vibrant red, orange or yellow background can be found.

The Warp-faced ikat refers to when this technique is applied only to warp threads before these are weaved.

There are other complementary unique decorative techniques in Timor, sotis – supplementary warp float technique, weaved in what seems to be a reversible manner -, and buna – a supplementary and discontinuous weft, that looks like an embroidery. Though the method is the same in the different regions of the island, as previously mentioned, there are various names for these techniques.

Weaving is done by weavers that live in the local communities, where, with their families, they are responsible for the whole process, from the preparation of the threads to the tying operation for the drawings, the dyeing of the threads and lastly, the weaving of the textiles. The production often combines the ikat and sotis (supplementary warp float) techniques.

The various tais

Though western clothes are used on a day-to-day basis, local textiles still have a very important meaning in the rituals that celebrate the changes in the various phases of life or social status, in animist rituals or others that are connected to agriculture. In the ceremonies, men wear rectangular cloths known as tais mane, made up of two or three panels sewn to each other, worn around the waist. The women wear tais feton (sabulu) that are similar, but sewn in a tubular way, to adjust closely to the body; it is worn around the waist or across the chest, with only a fold below, to allow for movement. Small sashes or cloths are popular as gifts or goods for exchange, as are belts, bags for shiri or betel (chewable vegetable stimulants) and headpieces. All these elements are, in a general manner, decorated with sotis or buna instead of ikat.

Both tais are equally used for ceremonies, religious rituals and parties and are greatly appreciated for exchange between members of the community.

Traditional motives

The patterns and motives have a great meaning for the Timorese, not only for those who weave them, but also for those who wear the tais.

Throughout the island, the motives continue to be traditional in their origin. They mostly evoke animals and elements of nature that are connected to myths and traditional rituals: anthropomorphic figures with stretched arms and hands are common, as are zoomorphic representations of birds, cockerels, crocodiles, horses, fish and water insects; plants, trees (origin of life and centre of the world) and leaves, also appear regularly. The geometric drawings, similar to hooks and rhombuses, locally known as kaif, are generally considered to be interpretations of the Dong-Son culture.

These motives were all inherited from the elders and, like the recipes, transmitted from mother to daughter. The drawings are systems of recognition of a cultural language and represent ancestral myths from the entire group and their symbols. Even when the motives cannot be associated to any cultural symbolism, they always represent something more than a mere decoration, for example, the prestige of the individual that wears the tai, his social status, etc.

The Timor-Leste tais

Detail of a tais mane in previously weaved cotton, dyed in natural pigements, with many narrow bands of motives carried out in warp-faced ikat and sotis (Kovalima).

Tais decorated with warp-faced ikat and sotis.

Detail of a modern tais with narrow bands of motives executed in warp-faced ikat.

There is undoubtedly a greater regional variety in weaving in Timor-Leste than in West Timor. However, due to the political instability that occurred in the eastern part of the island, this art was never greatly developed, nor has it ever been the object of in-depth study; this is connected to the fact that, until today, Timor-Leste has never been presented as an appealing tourist destination.

Timor-Leste is divided into thirteen districts: Oekussi, Kovalima, Bobonaru, Likisá, Ermera, Ainaru, Manufahi, Dili, Aileu, Manatutu, Vikeke, Baukau and Lautein. These districts can be used to compare similarities and differences in the textiles. Essentially, contemporary weaving in Timor is either traditional in its style or in its commercial character. Many of these textiles can be found in the local markets of the district capitals.

In Oekussi, the small Timor-Leste, enclave in the interior of West Timor, the traditional textile of the region is the tai mane with a large central panel made in ikat, in black and white, as well as black and orange or black and yellow. The large and elaborate motives are generally of floral or religious inspiration and are in some way similar to those found in the Sikka region of the Flores island. Without a doubt, it is in this district that the Portuguese influence on the motives is felt more strongly. Though the two panelled tais seem to be symmetric, one of the panels is narrower than the other.

In Dili, the tais are more commercial and have lively colours and very straight ikat bands between other narrow lines in solid colours. Imported cotton threads and chemical pigments are used, but the meticulous process of elaborating a design by tying threads and dyeing patterns on the threads follows the methods of most remote villages.

In the Balide village, about half an hour by car from Dili, previously spun threads and chemical dyes are used, as well as hand spun threads and natural dyes.

In Ermera, the weaving has remained relatively unaltered, according to the preferences of the local population. It is the only district where tais are not coloured and have a meaning and particular look, different to all others on the island. They are, in their totality, tais mane, made essentially in black, with small supplementary weft yarns or subtle designs in ikat, made in white. This is due to the fact that Ermera has always been a district where one of the most important kings of the traditional administrative structure lives. Black is associated to royalty and nobility and as such, it prevails only in the other districts where other kings or rulers live, such as Bobonaru and Ainaru, though here with less importance than in Ermera.

In the Manufahi district, animal drawings made in ikat appear, namely the sea lizard, or the pig; the latter is important in this district, its meat is not eaten by some of the groups from this region.

In Kovalima, the more traditional motives, such as the stylised hook or animals like the crocodile, worshipped by some groups, can be found.

In all, the ikat production in Timor-Leste seems to be less extensive than in Western Timor; sotis and buna continue to be the prevailing techniques. The background colours used for ikat, when it isn’t white, are red, orange and yellow, to contrast with the black. Possibly due to Portuguese influence, that left relevant marks on this half of the island, the floral motives of European inspiration, as well as those of religious inspiration, are the most evident, surpassing the hook and rhombus motives that can be found in Western Timor.

Glossary

Betel – the leaves of the climbing betel plant are mixed with other ingredients and chewed as stimulants.

Buna – A decorative technique of discontinuous supplementary weft.

Fatu-Iedu – Cotton gin used to remove the seeds of the cotton plant, making it pass between two parallel cylinders.

Ikat – Decorative technique where the threads of the warp or weft are tied with dried vegetable strips to form a pattern before the threads are weaved. The sections are united and resist the dye.

Kinur – Dye of the palest of yellow to the liveliest of orange tones can be extracted from the stigma of this saffron plant.

Ledu – Removing the seeds of the cotton plant using the fatu-ledu cotton gin.

Shiri – Chewable stimulant that can be found throughout Southeast Asia; made from betel leaves, lime and other ingredients.

Sotis – A supplementary warp float technique for decorative purposes, used mainly in the island of Timor.

Tais feton (sabulu) – Female cloth, generally sewn in a tubular way in order to be closely adjusted to the body.

Tais mane – Male cloth of bigger dimensions than the female (about 2 X 1.30 metres)

Taun – The tones that go from dark-blue or green to black can be extracted from the leaves of this small shrub.

Tek – Weaving noise.

Teka – Teak tree, from whose leaves the colours pink to red can be extracted from.

Warp-faced Ikat – when the ikat (tying before dyeing) technique is applied only to the warp threads before these are woven.

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