The Hand-woven Cloth of Tuban

I am a glutton, especially over new knowledge and any opportunities to get out of this god-forsaken-city of Jakarta. So, when I heard a ‘rumour’ whether I would be interested in writing a book on hand-woven cloth of Tuban along with a senior expert on Indonesian hand-woven textile, I just grabbed it.

I know nothing of indigenous textile of Indonesia, but I always know nothing when I take on a new project. I am not an expert in anything. I am just blessed with a tenacity of a possessed mind when I have to do a research.

So I left Jakarta to go to Tuban, a small residency in the western part of East Java Province. I intended to stay for at least one month for the preliminary research. Before I left, I had a preconception that Tuban would be a stronghold of Muslim in north coast of Java. After all, according to Indonesia history, the city was single-handedly responsible for spreading Islam across Java circa 11th century AD. Turned out, I was in for a surprise.

Tuban, despite its long history of Islam , has an even older story back to the time when Hindu was still the reigning power across Java. Today the tradition is still very much alive. Spinning, weaving and dyeing are done carefully according to the old Hindu rituals sprinkled with a few Islamic words to justify its function when Islam dominated the region. Every woven cloth has its function in life. A woven cloth with its simple geometric pattern dyed in certain colour is made specifically for carrying a new-born baby. Another one is dyed in certain color to be worn by an elderly woman who has withdrawn from earthly matters, etc.

I see a beautiful concept of creation. There is not even a hint of vanity or business behind it, just being simple, but useful. So, (again) I see beauty from different perspective: its lack of vanity.

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