Scarf Traditional No Ikat Hand Woven Weaving Tribal Motif Reversible Boti West Timor

Description

W1620 – Boti village West Timor – Kai-ana is the local language name of the motif [see detailed description of meaning below]. Boti is famed for its class weavings and is one of the two remaining animist villages in West Timor. Hand spun cotton and natural indigo and morinda dye.

134cm / 53″ long

20cm / 8″ wide

This very effective image has been achieved using a supplementary weft weaving technique or float weave that creates a negative or reverse image on the other side. All this on a simple back strap loom to create this selendang or betana.

If you wish to gather multiple treasures, and international buyers are welcome, this website and shop cart should allow for it. If not, I will contact you to find the most economical way to send your treasures to you.

Hand woven on a simple back strap loom Scarves / Selendang / Betana are worn by both men and women in Timor and serve many purposes. They can keep the sun off the head or balance a pot of water or bundle of sticks or cow feed that must often be carried up to 5km from  source to the village.

Scarves and all handwoven textiles in West Timor representing traditional clothing and epitomise cultural pride as the weaver is able to tell her story within the threads. You can often read where she hails from within the construction, motif and colours plus they keep the chill out on those cold mountain nights.

I am Julie and have been collecting Timorese Treasures in the field since 1990 when I won a prize for overseas travel in a pub in Darwin [true]. I had no idea at the time that I had stumbled upon an Aladdin’s cave of authentic traditional tribal textiles and treasures. I have been returning annually ever since [well most years] and been witness to many changes across the last 3 decades. Who knows when we will be able to travel there again to obtain such treasures?

Clearly none of us are sure what will happen post COVID, but I do know that the villagers, carvers and weavers up in the mountains will be grateful when some outside dollars come’s into their informal/circular economy. Therefore, every purchase you choose to make with me will benefit the Atoni [people of West Timor] as soon as I can get back there.

I distribute reading glasses and nutritious food seeds as the soil in the western half of Timor is very poor and water a precious resource. Please contact me if you wish to contribute.