Tais

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Tais as part of a ceremonial gift in Babulo
( Viqueque municipality )
Different tais

Tais ( Tetum ; Fataluku : Lau ) are woven fabrics from the island of Timor . The production of the fabrics takes place entirely within one family, from spinning to weaving. The spinning of the threads and the weaving on simple looms ( Gedog , Fataluku: Atihu ) is manual work by women. Because of its cultural significance, they are highly valued for their work. The frames for the Ikat technique and the loom frames are usually built by the men. Tais are woven using different techniques that create the same pattern in the fabric on both sides. The women traditionally use the dry season for this, when the field work is idle. In the rainy season, women work in the fields. At this time, cotton, which most often provides the raw material for fabrics, also grows.

Until the independence of East Timor , Tais were little subject of scientific research. The East Timorese government requested on 23 June 2020 the UNESCO recognition of Tais as urgent conservation need of Intangible Cultural Heritage .

Overview

The colorful fabrics are primarily made for their own use, but also for trade, nowadays also as souvenirs for tourists.

Some of the tais on the wall of the national parliament

Before work, the weavers used to perform rituals in which sacrifices were made to the gods and ancestors. In some places the tais making was seen as a gift from God and the gods gave inspiration and instructions.

The fabrics are not only worn as clothing , similar to the Indonesian sarong . In East Timor in particular, the Tais are of great cultural and national importance. For example, holy objects ( lulik ) are wrapped in them, they serve as cloths on coffins and as shrouds, and in the national parliament of East Timor , Tais are hung on the walls for the municipalities instead of regional flags. Tais used to be a popular barter item and the everyday clothing of the local population. It was the responsibility of the women to ensure that family members were adequately dressed. Tais for religious ceremonies were kept in the holy houses ( Uma Lulik ) , where, according to ancient belief, the ancestors watched over them. They were used at births, as dowries, at weddings, funerals and for the inauguration of new buildings.

Tourist souvenir with "Grandfather Crocodile" as a motif

Towards the end of the Portuguese colonial era, Tais got a reputation for being backwoodsmen. In the 1950s, Christian priests even organized mass cremations of tais to prove their power over the ritually important substances. During the Indonesian occupation (1975–1999), a small tais industry developed because the Indonesian soldiers liked to take the cloths home as a souvenir , later United Nations staff followed , now tourists. The state capital Dili has its own tais market , which sells towels from different regions. The colors and motifs were based on the taste of the customers. These souvenirs were also labeled during this time.

East Timorese soldiers with tais around their waist

Today tais are an important part of the national consciousness of the young state of East Timor and have also become part of the practice of the Catholic faith . The East Timorese government supports the idea of ​​integrating tais in modern clothing. Tais are sometimes part of the East Timor’s Defense Forces parade uniform . Employees of the national parliament also wear uniforms with Tais elements. The Comissão da Função Pública is planning to introduce such uniforms for other officials . In addition, tais are to be registered with UNESCO as a cultural asset . 27 state Tais development centers in the country serve to train the weavers. Here they are encouraged to work in groups to increase productivity. The tais produced are also displayed for sale in the centers. Usually the women work alone or only with the help of close family members. Traders drive through the villages and then buy there directly from the weavers and offer ready-made yarns. Tais are also offered in traditional markets, for example in Pasar Tono , the largest market in Oe-Cusse Ambeno .

Fibers

Festive clothes in Oe-Cusse Ambeno

Mostly dyed cotton is used as the raw material, thanks to the Portuguese influence. They built up the fiber trade in the region in the 17th century. Timor finally became the main hub at the end of the 18th century when cotton production was at its peak.

Ready-made yarns that are industrially dyed are also used today. They are offered in the regional markets in the country. This also applies to synthetic fibers such as polyester , rayon , acrylic and viscose fibers . There are also metal threads, usually gold-colored. The metal used to be extracted from this by melting down Dutch coins.

Since the independence of East Timor was mainly in Baucau , the silk production expanded. However, these fibers are relatively expensive, which is why they are still rarely used.

To dye

Tais in the Museu do Oriente in Lisbon

The dyeing can take place at any point in the manufacture of the fabrics, not just at the beginning. It can take a few days to several months, depending on the complexity and number of dyes required in the mixture. The coloring solutions are partly mixed in clay jugs. The traditional pigments used to dye the yarn basically come from three main sources, with each weaver having her own secret variations of the recipes to get the hues and shades she wants. The recipes are passed on orally from mother to daughter, sometimes also from mother-in-law to daughter-in-law. In the absence of written records, the turbulence of the Indonesian occupation led to the loss of much knowledge about various dyeing techniques.

The leaves of the Taun bush provide a dark blue, green or black hue. The collected leaves are pounded in a mortar. Processed into a paste with water and limestone, the color becomes dark and stable. If limestone is difficult to obtain, it is mixed with other materials, such as crushed mussel shells. Depending on which shade you want to get, the thread stays in the solution of the paste for a certain time. For black, dyeing takes a whole week.

The stigmas of turmeric are also used for coloring. The saffron yellow stigmas are separated, pulverized and dissolved with more or less water, depending on which shade you want to achieve. The yarn remains in the solution for at least 24 hours. The duration affects the luminosity of the color. In this way, depending on the recipe, tones from light yellow to the strongest orange are achieved.

Tais with a simple striped pattern in red and black in Babulo

The soft leaves of the teak tree (Teka) are pounded in a mortar and mixed with water to make a pulp. The amount of water and the number of days the yarn is in the solution leads to infinite color variations from pink to red, with different luminosities and intensities.

Weaver in Oe-Cusse Ambeno with yarn dyed using the ikat technique

These recipes are only the simple versions, they can become much more complex through the use of many different natural raw materials as fixatives, dressings or basic auxiliaries. For example, oil from light nut or tamarind seeds are used as dressing agents , which are left on for about a week. Some raw materials only occur locally and are therefore only used there, for example the leaves of the Charunu plant from the genus Indigofera . Indigo leaves provide a blue dye. Mud can be used for black. With the root of the noni tree ( morinda citrifolia , tetum Nenuka ) and the light nut, shades of red are obtained. The bark of the betel nut palm produces brown tones. Chili leaves, leaves of the katappen tree and mango leaves add green tones.

Various dyeing techniques are used. The "warp thread ikat " ( called Futus or Sisirana in East Timor ), in which the warp thread strands cover those of the weft threads , is used in all regions of Timor and is the most common technique. It is typical of Timor, while it has no meaning in the rest of the archipelago. The weft thread is not dyed with Ikat in Timor. Drawings on woven mats or, nowadays, paper templates that were actually intended for crochet work serve as a template for the motifs. With this technique, the threads still have their natural color before they are clamped in the ikat frame. The frames are very simple constructions. Four sticks are simply put together to form a frame. With the help of further fixed and loose sticks, the strands of yarn are carefully tensioned in parallel and taut. The weaver then ties off threads with dry strips of plant or raffia according to the pattern on the template . Then the strands are removed from the frame and colored. Where the threads are tied, it remains undyed. Before weaving, the threads are hardened with a tapioca solution to make it easier to weave them precisely in such a way that the pattern is restored. The ties are then removed again.

be crazy

A woman in Lospalos is spinning cotton yarn

After the cotton has been harvested, the seeds ( tetum ledu ) are removed with the Fatu Ledu . This ginning apparatus consists of two wooden cylinders between which the cotton is fed. Even more primitive is a bamboo stick that rotates to exert pressure on the part of a turtle shell. The cotton is then combed to remove impurities and then twist spun. Yarn to be completely dyed is wrapped in strands; that which is only partially colored with the ikat technique is first rolled up into a ball.

Weave

Workplace under the house: weaver in Suai Loro ( Cova Lima )

More elaborate than the ikat frames, but still rudimentary, are the looms, which are tied with a ribbon around the weaver's waist. The loom and the warp threads are stretched with the body over the tape. The weaver sits on the floor with her legs straight, often on self-made mats on the veranda of the house or below if it is a house on stilts. The East Timorese government has introduced more comfortable looms with seats. But since they are too expensive for home work and also bulky, they do not really prevail over the simple and easy-to-stow loom.

The Ikat-dyed warp threads are woven with only one weft thread. The tapioca starch is then washed out of the fabric with water. With Buna there is an additional, irregular weft thread that looks like embroidery as a result. The names for the different methods vary depending on the region. Ikat and sotis are often combined.

When Sotis technique warp threads are longer floats . Only single-dyed or natural-colored yarn is used here. The fabrics are made faster, which is why they are cheaper than the other tais.

Shapes, motifs and regional differences

Welcome from Hillary Clinton at the Cooperativa Café Timor ( Dili )

The Tais of Timor are known for their strong colors, but this is not always a true attribute. Red is a dominant color on Timor more than on other islands in the region. The origin is ascribed to the color of the bougainvillea blooming in the dry season , but this is not certain. For many Timorese groups, red stands for life, blood and courage. If the thread is not left in natural white, red, orange and yellow are used for the basic colors of Ikat, in contrast to black.

Men wear Tais Mane (Fataluku: Nami Lau or Lau Sekuru ), rectangular shawls made up of two to three pieces sewn together and wrapped around the waist. The women wear Tais Feto (also Sabulu , Fataluku: Tupur Lau or Lau Tupurarhini ), which are sewn in the shape of a tube and lie close to the body. They are worn around either the waist or the chest, with a single fold allowing them to move. Smaller scarves serve as gifts or barter goods, belts, pockets for betel nuts or headgear. With these, Sotis or Buna are used for decoration instead of Ikat. The selendang , which are in the shape of scarves, have come into fashion in recent years. They are often given as a gift to the guest, for example with important visitors to state institutions, here the tradition of the Tibetan welcome scarf has probably been adopted. Often there are labels on Selendang. For example, current events such as the soccer world championship or the independence of East Timor are processed here as topics. In addition, one tries to develop new products, so tais are processed into modern clothes or bags or serve as cover material for boxes.

Depending on the region, the cloths differ in their patterns. The diversity of the regional differences between the Tais is significantly greater in East Timor than in the western part , also because of the greater ethnic fragmentation. On the other hand, the ikat work in the fabrics in the east is generally less extensive than in the west. Traditional motifs not only reflect the weaver's taste, they also reflect the characteristics of the wearer.

Music group in Soba
( Baucau municipality )

Mostly animals and elements of nature that are related to local myths and rituals are shown in the motifs. Human-like figures with straight arms and hands are common, as are animal figures, such as birds, roosters, crocodiles, horses, fish and aquatic insects. There are also plants, trees (as the source of life and center of the world) and leaves as well as geometric figures, hooks and rhombuses (kaif) . It is believed that the latter were taken over from the Dong-Son culture , with which there was contact 2000 years ago, as demonstrated by Dong-Son drums found in East Timor . The motifs are also passed on from mother to daughter. They show symbols of the local community and reflect their ancient myths. Even if no reference is made to the origin, the decorations represent the reputation and social status of the wearer.

In addition to their own cotton, Ainaro also uses imported yarns from Australia , Thailand and Indonesia. Different types of tais, as in other regions, are not distinguished here.

Dancers in Suai ( Cova Lima municipality )

At the Makasae in Baucau, brightly colored ikat fabrics predominate in fabrics for men (Kola) and women (Rabi) . Characteristic are vertical and horizontal stripes in magenta, pink, blue, purple, green and dark red. The middle part is decorated with a maroon ribbon. Typical of the Makasae are decorations (Gi Wali) with an additional weft thread (Tiranai) at the ends of the brown ribbon. Kolas traditionally wear two reddish ikat patterns (Gi Liana Uta Raci) , the long side is evenly structured. Recently, small geometric shapes (Gi Suru) have been sewn onto the double edge for decoration. Ikat-tais are part of the bride's dowry. After the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom carry Kola and Rabi around their shoulders. These Sandaran Wanita are a gift from the mother of the bride. Tais also play an important role in the elaborate funeral ceremonies. The corpse is placed in the coffin on Kolas and covered with them. Kolas also separate the room with the coffin.

In Marobo ( municipality of Bobonaro ), in addition to own cotton, purchased yarns in twelve different colors are used to make the tais. Natural, plant-based materials are used for coloring. The different patterns each have their own names: Sabu / Hitam, Laralipa / Garis, Apideng, Kadeleng, Manusaeng, Megai and Nabang . Bodahto are only made and worn by men in Marobo.

In Cova Lima , traditional motifs dominate, such as stylized hooks or animals; so the crocodile, which is worshiped by some groups. The classic patterns in the fabrics for men in Suai Loro are called Klar, Duka, Sabunini and dan Halailaran . There are no special names for the patterns in women.

Traditional costume group in Fatuhada (Dili municipality)

In the capital, Dili , production is more commercialized. The tais have vivid colors, straight ikat stripes between other thin lines in the primary colors. Here mainly imported cotton and chemical dyes are used, but the production is carried out just as carefully as in the country.

Dignitaries in Estado
( municipality of Ermera )

Yarn is also bought in Ermera as no cotton grows in the community . Only in Ermera are the men's tais not colored. All tais mane are mostly black, with small extra wefts or subtle designs with ikat in white. The (non) choice of color is based on the origin of an important, old ruler from Ermera. Black is the color of the rulers and other nobles in Timor. A distinction is made between tais futus , which are worn by young people during ceremonies, tais larhechu , mostly dark tais for funerals, and tais kase for other ceremonies. Youngsters wear these in bright colors at weddings, while the elders use dark colors. Tais with modern designs sometimes use gold thread and depict motifs such as animals, mystical gods, and others.

The woven cloths, which are called Fataluku Lau in the local language , have a special meaning for the municipality ( Lautém municipality ) . The name of the eponymous place Lautém (Lautein) means "holy cloth." The majority of the population belongs to the Fataluku ethnic group . The plants most commonly used for coloring by the Fataluku are Nenuka , Charunu and Roko-Roko ( Caesalpinia sappan for shades of red). There are also introduced synthetic colors. In addition to Ikat (Fataluku: Sisirana ) and Sotis (Fataluku: kei 'lana ), three other techniques are used: with an additional weft thread (Rata Hurana) , an additional warp thread (Ter) and image knitting (porosana) .

For the motifs, the Fataluku use objects from their own environment. In Fatu Hoi Lu , the patterns of the carvings of the holy houses (Fataluku: Lee-teinu ) are adopted. Vata Asa Kai Kai Roko shows details of the leaves of the coconut palm. Other leaves, flowers and animals can also serve as models, but also combs, bracelets or the traditional fire pits with three stones. Some motifs are reserved for specific families, castes or village communities. Some motifs are considered sacred, for example when they refer to sacred sites such as the cave of Ile Kére Kére , with its prehistoric rock carvings. Sacred motifs include Ifi Lau , a worm pattern associated with the story of the Fonseca family from Tutuala .

At the Fataluku in Com (Lautém municipality), self-spun cotton yarn is combined with purchased yarn. Nenuka , charunu and mud are used to dye the cotton . Three classic types are traditionally used in Com, although the motifs are different for men and women: The Tais Sica Lau (also Sikalao ) are worn in traditional ceremonies. Dark brown and black dominate the Tais for the men (Sica Lau Mane) , red for the women (Tais Sica Lau Feto) . Tais Upulakuaru are the tais traditionally worn for ceremonies in the region around Com, for example for weddings. They stand out because of their more colorful motifs. Sapulau wear unmarried men and women. At weddings, the groom has to bring 77 buffalo as dowry, the bride 10–15 Ikat-Tais (Sisirana Lau) .

Girls in the municipality of Liquiçá

As in the nearby state capital Dili, mainly purchased yarns are processed in Liquiçá , as only little cotton grows here. Traditionally, a distinction is made between Tais Kiak , in which modern colors (navy blue, red, green and others) are used, and Tais Meyang . In this community too, tais serve as the bride's dowry. She hands two tais, a pig and rice to the family of her future husband, while the groom has to offer a buffalo and US $ 1,000 as the bride price.

Girls in Same (Manufahi)

The typical tais in Laclubar ( Manatuto municipality ) are very colorful and have embroidery (tuni) on the edges . They show deer, chickens and flowers. The yarn is mostly bought from dealers. The tais for men are called Tais Seubulu , the tais for women Tais Hia . Newborns are wrapped in the appropriate tais according to their gender and presented to the neighbors. In girls this happens when they are five days old, in boys when they are six days old. Newlyweds wear tais. While the groom brings two buffalo and some cash, the woman's dowry consists of two tais (one for men and one for women) and two pigs.

The sea ​​lizard and the pig are motifs in Manufahi that are applied to fabrics using ikat. The pig is sacred to some groups in the community and is therefore not allowed to be eaten by them. In the municipality capital, Same, the material used is mostly home-spun cotton and purchased yarn from Atambua , Indonesia , which are combined.

Dancers in the city of Viqueque

In Oe-Cusse Ambeno, one side of the two-part tais is a little narrower than the other. The Tais Mane consist of a large center piece with ikat patterns in black and white, black and orange, or black and yellow. The motifs are often floral or Christian in nature (for example putti ) and resemble those of the Sica on Flores , to which there are historical relationships (see Topasse ). They show the Portuguese influence, which was strongest on Timor in Oe-Cusse Ambeno and is also the cause of the motifs on Flores - a clear contrast to the sole hooks and rhombuses that are otherwise to be found in West Timor and with which one the origin suspected to be the Dong Son culture. There are also crocodiles, geckos, lizards and turtles. Contemporary tais are sometimes colored black by dipping at the edges.

In the administrative office of Viqueque ( Viqueque ) a distinction is made between different tais. Tais Mane Adimeyang can be worn by all men, while Tais Mane Nainurak are reserved for the nobility. On special occasions and in church, women wear Tais Kuutilung on the inside and Tais Hena Modok on the outside . For welcoming ceremonies, Tais Hena and Tais Niniwar are common for women and Tais Adimeyang for men. Men also wear these during celebrations in the Holy House ( Uma Lulik ), while the women reach for Tais Hena Lakang . For other celebrations, women use tais muuro , in which green, blue and purple dominate as colors, while men have a free choice of clothes.

See also

Ceremony in Caicassa ( Manufahi Municipality )

Web links

Commons : Tais  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Rosália EM Soares: The Textiles of Lautem - Timor-Leste , p. 9, accessed on August 31, 2017.
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Tais Timor-Leste: About Tais ( Memento from August 30, 2017 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on August 29, 2017.
  3. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa Turismo de Timor-Leste: Tais: The Textiles of Timor-Leste ( Memento from January 27, 2007 in Internet Archive )
  4. ↑ Timor-Leste.tl: Timor-Leste Seeks UNESCO Recognition For Tais , June 23, 2020 , accessed on July 18, 2020.
  5. ↑ a b Sara Niner: Strong Cloth: East Timor′s Tais ( Memento from May 9, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
  6. ↑ Timor Agora: Governu Sei Lori Tais Timor Ba UNESCO , December 13, 2016 , accessed on February 11, 2017.
  7. ↑ ANTIL : Governu Sei Rejista Tais iha UNESCO , February 10, 2017  ( page no longer available , search in web archives ), accessed on February 11, 2017.@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / antil.tl
  8. ↑ a b Rosália EM Soares: The Textiles of Lautem - Timor-Leste , p. 12, accessed on August 31, 2017.
  9. ↑ Example image from Rui Collection , accessed on August 31, 2017.
  10. ^ Kor Timor , accessed August 31, 2017.
  11. ↑ Sapo.tl: Tambor Dong Son vietnamita com cerca de 2000 anos found in Timor-Leste , November 18, 2015 , accessed on November 18, 2015.
  12. ^ Tais Timor-Leste: Ainaro ( Memento from September 1, 2017 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on September 1, 2017.
  13. ^ Tais Timor-Leste: Lautém ( Memento of August 31, 2017 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on August 31, 2017.
  14. ^ Tais Timor-Leste: Bobonaro ( Memento from September 1, 2017 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on September 1, 2017.
  15. ^ Tais Timor-Leste: Cova Lima ( Memento June 11, 2017 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on September 1, 2017.
  16. ↑ a b Tais Timor-Leste: Ermera ( Memento from September 1, 2017 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on September 1, 2017.
  17. ↑ Rosália EM Soares: The Textiles of Lautem - Timor-Leste , p. 11, accessed on August 31, 2017.
  18. ↑ Rosália EM Soares: The Textiles of Lautem - Timor-Leste , p. 13, accessed on August 31, 2017.
  19. ^ Tais Timor-Leste: Com ( Memento from August 31, 2017 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on August 31, 2017.
  20. ^ Tais Timor-Leste: Liquiçá ( Memento from September 1, 2017 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on September 1, 2017.
  21. ^ Tais Timor-Leste: Manatuto ( Memento from September 1, 2017 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on September 1, 2017.
  22. ^ Tais Timor-Leste: Manufahi ( Memento from September 1, 2017 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on September 1, 2017.
  23. ^ Tais Timor-Leste: Oecussi ( Memento from September 1, 2017 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on September 1, 2017.
  24. ^ Tais Timor-Leste: Viqueque ( Memento from August 31, 2017 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on August 31, 2017.