Pesta Tenun celebrates Acehnese handicraft<\/p>\n
Emmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Although she lives in Jakarta, Rahma Harun's business was ruined
\nby the earthquake and tsunami in Aceh.<\/p>\n
Aceh had been the main market for her embroidery products.<\/p>\n
\"I'd just sent (embroidery) stocks to some distributors there
\na few days before I heard about the news of the tsunami,\" said
\nRahma, a native of Banda Aceh who has lived here for 15 years.<\/p>\n
\"I have had to start (the business) all over again from zero,\"
\nshe said. One way she has survived was by cutting production
\ncosts, she said.<\/p>\n
Rahma said she understood that for the survivors in the
\nprovince, beautiful embroidered clothes or wall hangings were
\nnot a priority.<\/p>\n
Cut Lynda Agus' business, meanwhile, was supplied from Aceh.
\nHer decoratively embroidered Acehnese bags, tunics and wall
\nhangings were made in the province and sold in her Jakarta
\nboutique.<\/p>\n
\"My products are from Lhokseumawe and, thank God, the people
\nand their talented hands have survived the tsunami. They are
\nstill producing and we are helping them by supplying them with
\nraw materials,\" Lynda said.<\/p>\n
Both Rahma and Lynda were met by The Jakarta Post at the Pesta
\nTenun 2005 (Traditional Weaving Expo 2005) at the Sahid Jaya
\nHotel in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
This year's exhibition, jointly organized by the non
\ngovernment organizations working in cultural issues Yayasan Sekar
\nSaji Nusantara and Mamuli, highlights Acehnese weaving. Proceeds
\nfrom the ticket sales will go into the development of weaving
\ncenters in the province.<\/p>\n
\"We have deliberately chosen this theme, Aceh's Inspiration,
\nin a bid to revive and to salvage the traditional weaving in
\nAceh,\" the exhibition executive chairperson Okke Hatta Rajasa
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Weaving and embroidery have long been part of Aceh's
\ntraditional textile industry, which dates back to the \"golden
\nera\" of Sultan Iskandar Muda. During his reign, trade flourished
\nwith Islamic countries like Turkey and Persia.<\/p>\n
The influence of Turkey is strongly seen in the motifs and the
\nuse of prime colors of red, green, yellow and black.<\/p>\n
\"One of weaving centers in Gampong Siem was lost now. Many
\nweaving artisans perished in the tsunami. It's a great loss for
\nus all because we have to start again from nothing and it's not
\nan easy job,\" Okke said.<\/p>\n
Besides a bazaar with 120 stands that showcases ethnic
\nclothes, handicraft and accessories from throughout the country,
\nPesta Tenun also displays rare antique cloth from Aceh, some of
\nit more than 100 years old.<\/p>\n
Teguh from Dharma Mulia Galleries said antique clothes --
\nfound in Langsa, Gayo and Pidie -- and accessories of between 80
\nand 100 years old were sold in the exhibition.<\/p>\n
\"One hundred percent of the proceeds of this sale will go to
\nthe tsunami survivors as this is our way to show our concern,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Also on show is an ancient Indian cloth, owned by Austria-born
\nGunter Weber, which was later overlaid in the Gayo region with
\nmagnificent gold thread embroidered motifs. Although they are
\nabstract patterns, it is believed that the motifs are the forms
\nof cumi-cumi (squids).<\/p>\n
The textile was selected by Jasleen Dhamija, a famous textile
\nexpert from India, for the exhibition at a Jakarta museum in
\n2002. In her book, Woven Magic (the Affinity between Indian and
\nIndonesian Textiles), Dhamija also highlights her theories of how
\nthe textiles evolved.<\/p>\n
Acehnese food and dance are also featured at the event that
\nruns until March 31.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pesta-tenun-celebrates-acehnese-handicraft-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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