The sweet remains of Ambon weaving
Maluku’s famous cloves are preserved in its weaving
By Nurdiyansah Dalidjo
The Maluku islands in eastern Indonesia, once known as the Spice Islands, have had a long history of colonisation and the records to prove it. In 1513 the Portuguese first arrived at the capital city of Ambon to seize control of the spice trade, and they built the Laha City Fort (Nossa Senhora de Anunciada) to affirm their white supremacy. Then in 1605 the Dutch VOC trading company entered the spice wars and succeeded in taking over the spice trade from the Portuguese.
The Dutch were drawn to Ambon Bay for its strategic location, and were hungry for the abundance of nutmeg, mace and cloves growing in the area. They rebuilt the military castle and renamed it Nieuw Victoria, also popularly known as Victoria Fort, and controlled the island until Indonesia’s independence in 1945.
Ambon has since evolved into the centre of economic growth in eastern Indonesia, with flourishing trade and tourism industries. Originally inhabited by indigenous peoples known as Suku Ambon, after centuries of trade, European colonisation, and more recent Javanese transmigration policies, the population now living in Ambon is highly diverse. Then in 1999 the fall of the New Order regime in Jakarta triggered ongoing civil conflict between Muslims and Christians, in what became known as the Ambon Riots. This political upheaval marked a turning point for Ambon to mature into a tolerant city that has since come to respect cultural differences.
The diverse communities of Ambon have contributed to the city’s rich artistic and cultural traditions. One of the most prominent things is music. However, a weaving tradition (kain tenun) is still alive in a small village on the outskirts of the city.
Ralsasam Weavers Group
Tawiri Village is located near Pattimura International Airport, which services both Maluku province and the nearby North Maluku province. It’s not difficult to find the weavers in Tawiri: we just have to ask the friendly local people.
When I ask about weaving traditions in Desa Tawiri, the residents lead me to the house of Niko Watumlawar and his family. As a sign of respect, villagers and people in the area refer to him as Om Niko — “Om” being a familiar name for an uncle in Indonesia, as well as for old men in general. At his residence, family and female relatives have actively organised themselves into a weaving group called Ralsasam.
Om Niko is always happy to welcome any guests that stop by at his home with questions about kain tenun. Without hesitation, he will open the door of his house and display various woven fabrics created by the weavers from the Ralsasam group.
“Ralsasam — it means one heart,” explains Om Niko when I ask about the meaning of the word.
There are 15 women (all mothers) in the weaving group, who together form one big family. They weave ancestral motifs as a form of heritage, but they are also creating new patterns and designs.
Om Niko actively manages the weaving group, educates young people about the weaving tradition, and promotes all the kains. Meanwhile, the mamas of Ralsasam are busy with the process of weaving.
Although it is a small family-run business, Om Niko can still proudly boast that examples of Tawiri weavings have appeared in the 2013 Miss World contest. There are no beautiful displays or fancy gallery rooms at his home. Instead, in the simple and small house of Om Niko, a few woven cloths are stored in a wooden cupboard in the living room. The family room is a place for the mamas to weave while other family members watch television and relax. On the day that I visit Om Niko’s home, Mama Weli, Mama Neti, and Mama Fin are in the family room, representing the senior weavers of Ralsasam.
Ralsasam is the only weaving group in the village, and probably the last one left in Ambon today. Weaving has not always been the main source of revenue for the families here. The atmosphere of the village is peaceful and quiet, with many trees shading the coastal area of Teluk Ambon (Ambon Bay). Many residents work as fishermen and raise livestock, including Om Niko, who keeps pigs behind his house. Other villagers also work in the trade and services sector by making the most of the geographical proximity of the village to the airport. Moreover, there are still many challenges related to access to the necessary thread for weaving, the weaving processes that are time-consuming and require precision, and the selling and distribution of woven products.
Functions, Techniques, and Cloth Motifs
“The kain is used in all traditional ceremonies,” said a mother and a weaver. “To use the kain tenun is a must in traditional or indigenous villages because they are in the indigenous territory.”
In Kota Ambon, kain tenun is used more as cultural identifier than for any sacred functions. Woven fabrics are used by many local government officials and prominent figures of Ambon. Kain tenun has an aesthetic value that is said to sweeten the appearance, and this is reflected in the local language.
Ambon people are known as Ambon manise, which means manis in Bahasa Indonesia, or ‘sweet’ — therefore it refers to the friendly faces and personalities of Ambon people.
Mama Weli and Mama Neti show me some ancient motifs documented in a collection of photos, one of which is a motif called afdelin. In the past, the motif could only be used by indigenous leaders in their ancesteral village. The grandparents of Om Niko, whose family name is Watumlawar, originally came from Tanimbar — an island in the west southeast part of the Maluku Islands (Provinsi Maluku Tenggara Barat). Kain tenun is known as tais in Maluku. However, in Kota Ambon, tais has developed into a new variety of motifs and coloured creations. The reddish maroon provides a backdrop to showcasing the unique characteristics of Ambon weaving.
The Ralsasam weavers use coloured factory threads in their weaving because the organic materials are no longer readily available. However, they still use the ikat technique to make special patterns in the centre of the cloths.
In addition to the afdelin motif fabric (intended for indigenous leaders), the most popular and well-known motif is a combination of clove flowers and orchids. It may be that the pattern refers to different indigenous names with deeper meanings related to history and knowledge in the past. However, a more contextual interpretation of the afdelin motif relates to Ambon’s historical reputation as the source of cloves. Pattimura is a national hero from Maluku who fought against the Dutch VOC when they monopolised the clove trade and exploited the people and the natural resources of the island. Nowadays you can find a monument to Pattimura in the form of a statue located in the Ambon city centre, surrounded by clove flowers.
Maluku is still the main producer of cloves in Indonesia, and Ambon plays a strategic role in their distribution. Tens of thousands of tons of cloves are harvested every year, and about 90% of these cloves are used in the production of kretek cigarettes on the island of Java.
One weaving technique is unique to the region and is still practiced by the Ralsasam weavers. Sule is the technique of twisting two different colors before weaving. The combination of two colors in one twist of yarn gives the effect of color gradations alternating on strands of fabric. However it takes longer to twist the two threads into one. This technique therefore requires not just skill, but also time.
Weavers of the Ralsasam group conduct the weaving process using traditional looms made of wood and bamboo. Every part that forms the wooden backstrap looms has a local name. Mama Fin didn’t mind being bothered for a chat while she was weaving. As we spoke she told me the names of the weaving tool parts.
Titi is used for spinning yarn. The head part or main frame of the loom is called otla. Lililik refers to a bamboo stick or wood supporting the strands of yarn being woven. The slide rule for weaving is called tete, a piece of wood which is held as a base for a loom called kekan, and a weaving machete called hetheta.
Challenges for Weavers in Ambon
‘Simplicity’ may be the word that represents the Ralsasam group. They are all that is left of Ambon’s weaving traditions. Woven fabrics created by the Ralsasam weavers are sought after and have been used by many public figures and celebrities within and outside of Ambon. Nonetheless, Om Niko and the mamas still face many obstacles to continue weaving.
One of the weavers told me about the continuously soaring price of factory threads. They do not have a lot of capital in reserve, so they have to sell a completed woven fabrics before they can afford to buy more yarn and weave new woven fabrics. Those who wish to own tais weaving must place an order by pointing to the desired motif in the photo album at Om Niko’s house. They then must be willing to pay a down payment and to wait patiently for the tais to be woven.
“We just keep on doing what we can with what we have here,” said Om Niko, in reference to their limited resources.
That explains why there is no stock in the house, or a wide selection of woven fabrics that can be offered to the visitors who come to Om Niko’s house to buy kain. His house is not just a home for him and his family, but also a place where the weavers do the weaving, sell and display their products, and gather for women’s talk.
Surviving in the face of various challenges, the Ralsasam weaving group has continued to innovate. In addition to tais, they now also make handicraft souvenirs such as men’s suits, bags, wallets, and ties. Aimed at tourists or locals, these handicrafts are made from woven fabrics in colours that affirm Ambon’s diverse society.
Nurdiyansah Dalidjo (also known as Diyan) is a freelance writer and researcher. He began his career as a journalist in Jurnal Perempuan in 2008 and has since explored various social, political and environmental issues by working in various NGOs and civil society organizations in Jakarta for almost 10 years. His love of kain began when he and Irma Hutabarat (Miyara Sumatera Foundation) traced and studied the tradition of woven fabrics in Sumatra. In 2015, Diyan also raised the profile of songket fabrics and the challenges faced by weavers in West Sumatra in his book Porn (O) Tour, where he sought to raise awareness around tourism ethics. In 2018 Diyan co-initiated Kain Kita with Cassandra Grant as a passion project to document and promote the kain that exist in indigenous communities in Indonesia.
