The Textiles of Lautem

THE TEXTILES OF LAUTEM TIMOR-LESTE

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THE TEXTILES OF LAUTEM TIMOR-LESTE WRITTEN BY ROSÁLIA E M SOARES

Timor Aid dedicates this book to the memory of Sr. Abilio dos Santos†, who was the head of the Lautem division of the Secretary of State for Art and Culture, until his untimely and tragic death in late 2013.

Sr. Abilio worked closely with Timor Aid on the research for this publication throughout 2013, providing many of the insights gained. We hope this publication is a lasting tribute to his diligence, deep interest and knowledge, and love of Lautem’s cultural heritage.

Written by Rosália E M Soares.

Original research by Joanna Barrkman, Rosália E M Soares, Abilio do Santos†, Faustino dos Santos, Jacquelina Ximenes, Teresinha das Dores Tilman.

Editing: Laura Ogle, Anne Finch and Joanna Barrkman Photography: David Palazón, Joanna Barrkman, Gonçalo Antunes, Greg Haraldson, Tony Cunningham, Willy Daos Kadati and José Sabino Ximenes.

Design by David Palazón (www.davidpalazon.com) SECRETARIA DE ESTADO DE TURISMO

ARTE E CULTURA

Printed by SILK ISBN – 978-989-8726-29-2 Timor Aid thanks the Secretary of State for Art and Culture (Secretaria do Estado de Arte e Cultura), particularly Sr. Faustino dos Santos and the team at the National Directorate for Art, Culture, and Creative Cultural Industries (Direção Nacional da Arte e Cultura e Industrias Creativas Culturais), who have supported this research publication. This survey monograph is the most recent product of the ongoing collaboration between Timor Aid and the Secretary of State for Art and Culture to preserve and promote the culture of Timor-Leste, specifically its textile heritage. Timor Aid also thanks the weavers, local leaders, and other community members of each village visited. These people generously contributed their knowledge and time, enabling the completion of this research.

Fataluku language is used in this publication to present the local terminology associated with weaving, as most of the locations and communities in Lautem District visited during the research for this publication were Fataluku speaking. Unmarked foreign terms in italics are Fataluku; other foreign language terms are noted accordingly: Tetun (T); Indonesian (Ind.).

The author asserts her moral right to be identified as the author of this book. She acknowledges the generosity of the owners and producers of textiles in sharing information with her regarding Lautem textiles.

A project by the National Directorate of Arts, Culture and Creative Industries, Timor-Leste in collaboration with Timor Aid. © SETAC, RDTL 2015.

PREFACE The publication of the book “The Textiles of Lautém” follows the initiative previously launched by this Secretariat of State, to provide a series of published works on the traditional textile production of the 13 municipalities of Timor-Leste.

As it had happened with the publication of the “tais” from Covalima, this work has the invaluable collaboration of Timor Aid, in the person of its Executive Director Rosália E. M. Soares, who coordinated the fieldwork, developed the research and drafted the text that embodies the book.

Over the past few years, however, the enhancement and promotion of cultural expressions in this municipality, was fortunate to count on the work and dedication of two public figures, in the meantime deceased, whose memory we honour here: Abílio dos Santos, who was Culture Chief of Section until 2013 and actively participated in the fieldwork documented here; and Justino Valentim, professor and head of research of the NGO Many Hands International, with whom the Government collaborated on several occasions.

As mentioned in the text and is clearly visible from the attached catalogue, the Lautém municipality textiles benefited greatly from the increased isolation of this region, maintaining an appreciable originality and diversity of techniques and traditional motifs to this day. Cultural preservation in the Lautém region, somewhat like around the country, owes much to the oral transmission made from generation to generation, which keeps culture alive and prevents it from disappearing.

In addition to being rich and dynamic, Timorese culture is also fragile and sensitive to change, and it may be transformed or forever disappear. The publication of the book “The Textiles of Lautém” aims to contribute to the register of the wealth of existing cultural expressions in our country, based on tradition. With it, the Secretariat of State for Tourism, Art and Culture follows on the work and commitment to inventory, document and promote the great cultural diversity of Timor-Leste, contributing for Culture to assert itself increasingly as one of the development pillars of our nation.

Cecília Assis Director-General of Arts and Cultura State Secretariat for Turism, Arts and Culture Ministry of Turism, Arts and Culture May, 2015

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FOREWORD Since the independence of Timor-Leste was achieved in the separation from Indonesia in 1999, Timor Aid has been engaged in the important task of documenting the nation’s textile cultural heritage, working closely with weavers and weaving communities throughout the country. This research and documentation is an urgent task because of the extensive loss of material culture in the latter decades of the twentieth century, partly due to change in the modern world and also as a result of conflict, displacement and deprivation. Timor Aid is proud of to have produced this publication and to bring this rich artistic tradition to the attention of the people of Timor-Leste and beyond.

The publication of Textiles of Lautem would not have been possible without the generous and ongoing support of the Secretariat of State for Art and Culture, National Directorate of Arts, Culture and Creative Cultural Industries, who formed part of the research team and provided the funding for both the field trips and the writing of the book.

Timor Aid is grateful for the ongoing partnership that we enjoy with the Secretariat, a partnership that has extended over a number of exhibitions and research projects. Timor Aid looks forward to continuing this partnership into the future.

The research expertise and writing of this monograph is the work of Rosalia Madeira Soares, a senior staff member of Timor Aid who is also the Team Leader of the Department of Culture of Timor Aid. Rosalia led the field trips, conducted

the interviews and collected and analysed the data. Rosalia wrote two original versions, this one in English and another one in Tetum. Rosalia is the preeminent expert in the field of the traditional textiles in Timor-Leste. In writing this book, she worked very closely with Joanna Barrkman.

Joanna Barrkman is a leading expert on Asian textiles who has contributed over the past decade to increasing the research capacity of both Timor Aid and SEAC, and has been the driving force behind much of our work in conserving textiles, and devising public presentations in the form of exhibitions, films and publications.

Timor Aid would like to extend thanks to Rosalia for her significant work in researching and writing this publication. Rosalia and the research team have documented some wonderful textiles in the following pages. We hope that this publication will be of benefit to the weaving communities of Lautem. Our thanks are also due to Laura Odgen for her able work in editing both the English and Tetun versions.

Timor Aid is grateful to the weavers and community of Lautem for sharing their time, stories and textiles with us, and allowing the world to see their extraordinary skills, ingenuity and creativity. Their textiles are their legacy, and the most important manifestation of their culture. We salute their work, and thank them for sharing it so generously with us.

Jose Lobato Chairman of the Board, Timor Aid May, 2015

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Nino Konis Santana National Park, Tutuala subdistrict.

Photography courtesy of David Palaz贸n, 2010.

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INTRODUCTION Tereriku, tereriku, tere lau-chai...

Tereriku, tereriku, tere lau-chai...

This refrain is from a Fataluku song, sung by weavers throughout Lautem District as they work at their looms —a testament to their workmanship and skills as keepers and makers of culture.

Located at the eastern end of Timor-Leste, Lautem District is occupied by the descendants of several distinct ethno-linguistic communities, for whom traditional practices remain the essence of life.

The languages of these communities include Fataluku, the most widely spoken language in Lautem; Makasae-Sokolori, spoken in the northwestern part of the district; Makalero, spoken in the south-east; and Sa’ani, spoken in the west.

Louvasa, spoken in the eastern Tutuala subdistrict, is a minor language that has almost died out.

This rich ethnic diversity, along with centuries of Portuguese, and decades of Indonesian, occupation has influenced the unique character of the woven textiles of Lautem District.

Lautem is home to a wide range of traditional and modern textiles with unique designs and colours. These handwoven textiles are known as lau in Fataluku and tais in Tetun.1 The designs of traditional Lautem lau are linked to beliefs and practices associated with ancestral traditions,

Traditional uma lulik house of Malea, Moro village, Lautem subdistrict. Photography courtesy of David Palazón, 2010.

while modern designs show the external influences from colonial times. The traditional and the modern accompany each other in the contemporary textiles made by Lautem weavers.

The regional chapters in this publication are based on three of the five subdistricts in Lautem District: Tutuala, Lospalos, and Lautem. Not all sucos in these subdistricts are included in this publication, but the shared cultural traditions of the places visited form the basis for the description of the lau identified in these broad areas.2 The two other subdistricts —Iliomar and Luro— were not included in this research due to time and resource constraints. These areas also have rich and unique textile traditions worthy of research.

1. Tetun and Portuguese are the official languages of Timor-Leste.

2. A suco is an administrative unit within a subdistrict, equivalent to a small town or village.

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TIMOR-LESTE

LAUTEM DISTRICT

MORO MAINA I

LAUTEM

MAHARA BAURO

MAINA II

TUTUALA VILLAGE

TUTUALA LURO

LOSPALOS

MUAPITINE

LOSPALOS LOREHE

ILIOMAR

This publication outlines some typical characteristics of Lautem’s woven lau from Tutuala, Lospalos, and Lautem subdistricts. It does not catalogue all types of Lautem lau, nor does it claim to be an authoritative guide to the techniques, symbolism, and designs of these diverse handicrafts. This publication is based on research that was conducted on two short trips to Lautem District in 2013.

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Each area was visited only once, and government staff accompanied the researchers as they met with local weavers and traditional leaders to view, photograph, and discuss the significant styles of lau in each place. Further research is needed to enrich the documentation and understanding of the intricate world of Lautem textiles —an important component of Timor-Leste’s cultural heritage.

AN OVERVIEW OF THE TEXTILES OF LAUTEM People in Lautem say that the tradition of textile weaving is as old as the region itself and has sacred links to the world of their ancestors: the word Lautem is derived from two Fataluku words —lau and teinu— meaning ‘sacred textile’, or what is known in Tetun as tais lulik.

PROCESS Lau teinu has always been woven on a traditional backstrap loom, atihu. The backstrap loom is set up between two wooden poles on a veranda or in the empty space under traditional houses. Some weavers leave the loom rolled at the poles for storage, and unroll it again when ready to weave.

The weavers manage the thread tension with their backs, leaning forward to slacken the tension and allow to pass the kuanu (welf thread) and the valiru (sword) through the layers of thread, and leaning back to tighten the tension as they weave.

The backstrap loom, atihu, is used by weavers throughout Lautem District to create a wide variety of beautiful textiles.

Photograph, Tutuala, Lautem District, 2013.

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Charunu (Indigofera), nenuka (Morinda citrifolia) and rokoroko (Caesalpinia sappan) (left, right and below) were the three main plants used for dyeing textiles in the Fataluku-speaking areas of Lautem District before the introduction of synthetic threads. Nowadays, some weavers maintain the tradition of using natural dyes in the production of cloths for cultural ceremonies. Photographs, Tony Cunningham and Fundasaun Alola (Jose Sabino Ximenes).

In the past, Lautem weavers produced exquisite lau teinu using handspun cotton thread dyed with locally available plants, including charunu (Indigofera sp.) leaves for black, nenuka (Morinda citrifolia) roots for brown, and roko-roko (Caesalpinia sappan) hardwood for red. Nowadays, most lau are made from brightly coloured synthetic threads that are readily available in the local markets and shops.

Once woven, lau are customarily stored inside a big square basket known as poko or big round basket called leu kaisala. They are folded, rolled, and packed standing up for storage. A slice of tobacco, or alternatively camphor, inside the poko or leu kaisala acts as insect repellent. Lau can generally not be washed, so are cleaned after use by drying them in the sun for approximately thirty minutes.

This exposure to sunlight also helps prevent mould on the cloth.

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TECHNIQUE There are various techniques used to weave lau in Lautem. The most widespread technique is the single warp resist-dye technique, widely known as ikat. In Lautem, resist-dye is known as sisirana, or futus (T). Sisirana can appear in single- or doublecolour black and red stripes dyed with the indigo and morinda plants. This technique is considered the most ancient and traditional, making it highly valued.

Other techniques include the float warp weave, kei’ lana or sotis (T); the tapestry weave, porosana; supplementary weft wrap, rata hurana (F); and supplementary warp weave, ter (F). Weavers use these techniques separately and in combination to create the various traditional and modern designs of their lau.

Textiles are traditionally stored in a poko or leu kaisala basket, woven from the ai-kadiru (T) palm (Borassus flabellifer). Photograph, Timor Aid, 2014.

MOTIFS Unlike some other areas of Timor-Leste, where knowledge of local designs has either been lost or altered, the various traditional designs in Lautem lau are still strongly connected to local knowledge and customs. These designs are inspired by many sources and provide insights into the area’s history, environment, and living conditions. Depending on its source, a design can be considered modern or traditional, and even restricted to a particular family, caste, or community.

Designs reflect natural phenonema —such as leaves, flowers, and animals— as well as man-made objects and tools —such as combs, bracelets, and the traditional three-stone cooking stove. Some design motifs are considered sacred because of their specific link to the history of a particular family or location, such as the Ili Kere Kere rock art sites in Tutuala subdistrict. An example of a sacred, restricted Lautem design is the ifi lau motif, a worm design whose origin is linked to the history of the

Motifs in Lautem textiles represent objects in the weavers’ environment. The fatu hoi lu design (top) is taken from wood carvings in the uma lulik (T), sacred house, and the vata asa kai kai roko design (botton) is taken from the coconut leaf. Photograph, Lospalos, Lautem District, 2013 (Greg Haraldson)

Fonseca family3 in Tutuala.

STRUCTURE Throughout Timor-Leste, textiles generally fall into two main categories: men’s cloths and women’s cloths. Lautem lau are no exception: a man’s cloth is called nami lau, or lau sekuru, and a woman’s tubeskirt is a tupur lau, or lau tupurarhini.4

3. For an account of this motif and its importance in this clan history, see Forshee, Jill. “Loss and Return: Personal Stories of Fataluku Weavers,” in Textiles of Timor: Island in the Woven Sea, Hamilton,R., and Barrkman, J. (eds), Fowler Museum at UCLA Press, Los Angeles, 2014 p 345.

4. Another type of cloth introduced during the Indonesian occupation (1975–1999) is the selendang (Ind.): a single-panel narrow shawl worn over the shoulder or draped around the neck. It is used mostly in non-traditional cerimonies, guest receptions, and as a gift.

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The designation o’o (as in lau o’o mimireke) also designates women’s cloth. Both men’s and women’s lau are made from two panels of handwoven cloth.

Traditionally, men wear the lau sekuru draped around the waist or as a shoulder cloth, while women wear the lau tupurarhini wrapped around the chest, waist, or over the shoulders, layered with two or three skirts, one on top of the other. The number of lau worn and the order in which they are worn is based on the value of each lau within its wearer’s community (see below).

The basic structure of the lau is composed of a series of parallel linear bands, the arrangement of which is specific to each type of cloth. These structures are maintained by weavers passing down their knowledge from one generation to another through demonstration and material remnants.

A daughter, grand-daughter, or a daughter-in-law will learn to weave by watching and helping her mother, grandmother, or mother-in-law.

Weavers also pass on their methods by cutting the end of a woven lau and giving the strip of cloth to a member of the next generation. This strip is called lau utu-nutanu and guide young weavers in determining the sequence and structure of simple stripes, wide bands, and motifs as they learn to weave textiles on their own.

Lautem textiles can be categorised based on their design structures: the two groups are called sisirana lau-charunaku lau, prominent in the Fataluku-speaking areas of the district, and lumur lau-karas lau, found in the Socolori-speaking regions.

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The lau utu-nutanu is cut from the edges of a completed lau to serve as a guide for young weavers to learn the textiles designs of their ancestors.

Photography, Lospalos, Lautem District, 2013 (David Palazón)

Sisirana lau-charunaku lau on display at a research interview with weavers at Ililapa, Lorehe II. Photograph, Lorehe II, Lautem District, 2013 (Greg Haraldson)

The sisirana lau-charunaku lau are created using the sisirana single warp resist-dye technique. Sisirana refers to the resist-dye technique, and charunaku refers to the charunu (indigo) dye. These cloths are common in Fataluku-speaking communities, but they can also be found in other Lautem communities as a result of the transfer of textiles through inter-marriage and gift-giving.

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The dominant colours of sisirana lau-charunaku lau made with synthetic dyes are black or red; those made with natural dyes are blue or brown. Even though most of these textiles now are made with synthetic dyes, their design and patterns maintain links with the history and traditions of the Fataluku people and thus retain their high cultural value.

The lumur lau-karas lau are mostly found in Sokolori-speaking communities in Lautem subdistricts that border the Makasae-speaking areas of Timor-Leste. These textiles are similar to those of the neighbouring Makasae people, but their designs and colour groupings are distinctive.

The Fataluku community consider sisirana laucharunaku lau as precious textiles, part of an inheritance from their ancestors. Sisirana laucharunaku lau are mostly worn at traditional ceremonies, formal government events, and churches ceremonies; they also play an important role in funerals and in the negotiation of bride prices. They are not often found for sale in the markets.

Lumur lau-karas lau incorporate most of the known weaving techniques in Lautem: ikat, kei’lana, porosana, rata hurana and ter. The band at either end of the women’s tubeskirt is decorated with designs made using the rata hurana and ter techniques. On the edges of the men’s cloths, a decorative band of porosana tapestry weave secures the woven cloth from the twisted fringe.

This band often features small decorative star designs, woven with the rata hurana technique, that increase the value of the lau. The central linear panel of the lumur lau-karas lau is filled with colourful stripes in an order rich with meaning.

In ceremonial contexts, lumur lau-karas lau featuring the sisirana technique, considered to be more ancient, have a higher value than those woven in relatively modern kei’lana float warp technique. Customarily, lumur lau-karas lau were worn at traditional cerimonies. Nowadays, they can be found for sale in the Lautem traditional market and are worn for more general use.

Lumur lau-karas lau on display at a research interview with weavers at Maina II. Photograph, Maina II, Lautem District, 2013 (Greg Haraldson)

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European embroidery and cross-stitch designs have been incorporated into Lautem textiles, such as this rooster motif in a kei’lana.

Photograph, Lospalos, Lautem District, 2013 (David Palazón) These samples of motifs are woven in ter (left) and rata hurana (centre) techniques and are taken from a lau o’o mimireke and from a lau o’o lakuwaru respectively. Photograph, Maina II, Lautem District, 2013 (Greg Haraldson)

CULTURAL VALUE Traditionally, different cultural values are assigned to the different types of lau, depending on which structures, techniques, colours, and designs are valued in the area where each lau is made. sisirana lau-charunaku lau and lumur lau-karas lau can variously be assigned first, second, and third class values.

In all of Lautem District, first-class textiles are made using the sisirana technique, incorporate traditional designs and structures, and are used for important ceremonial occasions and ritual exchange due to their links with local traditions and history.

Second-class textiles can also feature the sisirana technique and traditional designs; however, their less intricate and aesthetically pleasing colours and structures differentiate them from the firstclass textiles. Second-class lau are also used at ceremonial occasions, but are worn underneath the first-class textiles.

Third-class textiles are used for festive and social occassions or simply for everyday wear. They are considered third class because of the external influences in their structure, technique, or design, including European-inspired motifs.

These criteria apply throughout Lautem; however, the specific lau assigned to each class differ between communities. For example, a lau upu lakuwaru is considered a first-class textile in Lorehe, but a second-class textile in Tutuala (see Fig. 6).

The value of a lau also determines the order in which it is worn: first-class textiles are worn as the most visible, outer cloth, with second- and third-class lau worn closer to the body. Men wear first-class lau on the shoulder, with a lower-class lau around the waist. Women wear first-class lau wrapped around their chest or over their shoulders, with lower-class lau layered underneath, around their waist.

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Tutuala seen from Jaco island, Lautem District.

Photography courtesy of David Palaz贸n, 2011.

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THE TEXTILES OF TUTUALA, MEHARA, AND MUAPITINE Tutuala subdistrict, where rocky mountains meet the pristine sea at the eastern tip of Timor-Leste, is one of the places where the first inhabitants are believed to have arrived by boat. The ancient rock art in the cave of Ili Kere Kere, on the way to the Jaco Island, charts the area’s history and features in several distinctive lau motifs. These traditional designs play an important role in determining the value of each lau in the Fataluku-speaking sucos of Tutuala, Mehara, and Muapitine, where the sisirana lau-charunaku lau prevails.

The most popular textile in Tutuala subdistrict is the sica lau, which was originally worn only in this area by the elite liurai (royal) class, but is now found and worn throughout Lautem District.

There is a range of sica lau textiles. Their dominant characteristics are the colour and sequence of their stripes and the choice of ancestral motifs.

Sica lau generally feature alternating wide black and narrow white sisirana bands, interspersed with wide futus bands, sisirana inalu, and small sisirana patterns called inokoru, spreading through the central linear patterned area. The resist-dyed motif on the wide inalu bands is called letu chi’ ilana, meaning ties twice for ikat. All sica lau also have red and green stripes called koi-koi, as well as a twisted fringe. When the borders of the lau, known as lianu, are made with red and white yarn, the lianu are called lono puhu.

This Sica lau was woven

by Alcina dos Santos using commercial threads and dyed with synthetic dyes showing the sisirana inalou resist-dyed bands and the red-and-green koikoi. Photograph,Tutuala, Lautem District, 2013 (David Palazón)

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In the past, sica lau were woven from handspun cotton and coloured with dyes made from plant bark and roots. Nowadays, only a few weavers still practise the natural dye processes; most modern sica lau are made from brightly coloured synthetic threads available in the markets.

The most valuable sica lau is the sica lau loiasu fanu (see Fig. 1), which features the loiasu fanu (boat) motif found in the rock art at the Ili Kere Kere cave.

While all sica lau are generally considered to be first-class cloths, when worn with a sica lau loiasu fanu, other sica lau are demoted to second-class.

Other varieties of sica lau are found in Muapitine suco close to the Ira Ialaro lake. One of them is called sica lau o’o eche (see Fig. 5), a women’s cloth with a ties twice for ikat band at the edges.

The whole linear patterned area of this textile is rich in resist-dyed sisirana. The prominent colour of the sica lau o’o eche is black or sometimes dark blue, created with indigo dye.

The production of this sica lau is restricted to the family of a highly skilled weaver, Joanina Marques.

Originally from Muapitine, Joanina moved to Ira Ara, Lospalos, when she married a man from that town. Joanina says that the sica lau o’o eche’s design motif was created by her great grandmother and has been passed down through the family.

When worn, the sisirana inalu band reaches the ankles. Nowadays, the commercial thread used to decorate the sica lau o’o eche give the cloth brighter, stronger colours than its natural-dyed versions woven in the past.

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Sica lau o’o karasu (see Fig. 3) is another type of women’s sicalau, which originates from the coast and is now made by a single weaver, Rosalia dos Santos. Like Joanina Marques, Rosalia moved to Ira Ara, Lospalos through marriage. Unlike other sica lau that feature a plain-coloured band at the edges, bordered by two wide sisirana inalu bands, the sica lau o’o karasu features a single wide band of sisirana inalu at each edge, with two distinctive yellow-orange stripes on either side, from which the name o’o karasu is derived.

Sica lau o’o karasu is a highly valued lau and its production is restricted to weavers from Rosalia dos Santos’s family. However, Rosalia’s daughters have not learned to weave this style of sicalau, meaning the tradition rests solely with her.

Rosalia dos Santos with her sica lau o’o karasu. She is the only known remaining weaver of this type of lau. Photograph, Lospalos, Lautem District, 2013 (David Palazón)

Some patterns and design motifs represent a particular family or clan, and thus have rules restricting who can weave them. If these rules are violated, locals believe the guilty weaver can be harmed. Some examples of these sacred motifs include loiasu-fanu (boat) and ifi (worm).

In Portuguese times, only people from Tutuala would wear a sica lau, and lau that featured loiasufanu, kucha (horse), and ma’ar ma’ar lauhana (figures of people) motifs were restricted to the nobility. Nowadays, the motif is found in other parts of Lautem through marriage and gift-giving.

Other motifs, like ipinaka (star), pori-asa (leaf), mai (eagle), and lafuru (three-stone cooking stove) are not restricted and often appear on textiles from Tutuala, Mehara, and Muapitine. All these designs are created using the sisirana single-warp resist-dye technique; the textiles on which they feature are therefore categorised as sisirana laucharunaku lau.

Part of the sica lau’s high value among the Fataluku people, especially in Tutuala, is due to its connection to the Ili Kere Kere rock art. Motifs drawn directly from the caves depict the arrival of the ancestors on boats and horseback. Photograph, Tutuala, Lautem District, 2013 (David Palazón)

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SACRED AND RESTRICTED MOTIFS

Other types of lau not in the sica lau group are woven and worn in the Tutuala area. The ifi lau (see Fig. 4) contains the ifi (worm) motif and is associated with strict taboos and restrictions (see ‘Sacred and restricted motifs’). This type of lau can only be worn by the Fonseca family in Tutuala, who claim that the motif comes from their ancestors, although no-one is sure when this lau first came into existence.

Another cloth from the Tutuala is the sapu lau (see Fig. 2). This red and black lau is considered a second-class cloth because it bears external influences: some have suggested that it originates from Sabu in West Timor —hence the name sapu.

However, sufficient evidence has not yet been gathered to prove this claim. The sapu lau is often used in lia mate (funeral) ceremonies. At a glance, the sapu lau is similar to the Tetun tais halai laran: both feature two coloured vertical bars with a central black panel. However, the sapu lau’s motifs —typical Lautem designs— are different from those of the Tetun textile.

Maria Madalena is a weaver in aldeia Piti Leti and the wife of the local lia na’in wearing a sica lau loiasu-fanu.

Photograph, Tutuala, Lautem District, 2013 (David Palazón)

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CATALOGUE OF TEXTILES: TUTUALA

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Fig. 1 - The sica lau loiasufanu is the highest value cloth in Tutuala subdistrict because it depicts the boat motif (loi asu fanu) from the rock art at Ili Kere Kere.

This sica lau loiasu fanu was made from commercial cotton using the ties twice for ikat technique, and was dyed with indigo and morinda. Photograph, Tutuala, Lautem District, 2013 (David Palaz贸n)

Fig. 2 - This sapu lau was woven with commercial cotton and the motifs dyed with indigo leaves.

Compared with the sica lau, this cloth is considered to be of lower value because its structure is considered to originate not from Tutuala. Photograph, Tutuala, Lautem District, 2013 (David Palaz贸n)

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Fig. 3 - This sica lau o’o karasu, made by Rosalia dos Santos, is woven from commercial cotton in the single ikat technique, and is dyed with indigo. It is the only sicalau of its kind identified during the research. The weaving of sicalau o’o karasu is restricted to Sra. dos Santos’ family, but she is the only person who still makes it. Photograph, Lospalos, Lautem District, 2013 (David Palazón)

Fig. 4 - This ifi lau was woven

by Luisa de Jesus using commercial cotton. The motif was dyed with indigo.

The production of this type of cloth is restricted to the Fonseca family. Photograph, Tutuala, Lautem District, 2013 (David Palazón)

Fig. 5 - The sica lau o’o eche is a variety of sica lau from Muapitine that only Joanina Marques’ family is allowed to make. Made from handspun cotton and dyed with indigo leaves, this cloth’s ties twice for ikat motif is dyed with morinda and indigo. Photograph, Ira Ara, Lautem District, 2013 (Greg Haraldson)

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THE TEXTILES OF LOREHE, BAURO AND LOSPALOS The subdistrict of Lospalos stretches from the flat lands to the shores, where the Pacific Ocean bathes the island of Timor. Considered the home of the ancient kingdom of the Fataluku people, this area is also the home of the lau upu lakuwaru and its variations, as well as the ha’i lau and charunaku lau. The use of red dye is the distinctive feature of textiles from this area, where both sisirana lau-charunaku lau and lumur lau-karas lau are found.

The first-class lau upu lakuwaru (see Fig. 6) is traditionally reserved for the royal, or ratu, caste in Lorehe. This high status is evident in the lau’s top-and-bottom stripes of sisirana inalu featuring seven traditional sisirana motifs, and in the redblack-red stripes in the centre of each panel, surrounded by the fatu hoi lu motif taken from the Lospalos traditional house design. The positioning of the sisirana is in contrast to the sicalau from Tutuala subdistrict. The density of the sisirana in the sica lau is at the two edges, whereas in the lau upu lakuwaru, it is in the central panels where the hatu hoi lu motif and the stripes are located.

As sisirana motifs are their only method of decoration, lau upu lakuwaru fall into the group of sisirana lau-charunaku lau.

Photograph, Lospalos, Lautem District, 2013 (Willy Daos Kadati)

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Traditionally, a lau for the liurai (traditional king) always had seven or more motifs, as the number seven is sacred throughout Lautem District.

A lau with six or less motifs was not fit for a liurai to wear. Many types of lau from this area —including the lau upu lakuwaru, lau kusin aravei, and the charunaku lau— feature seven motifs if destined for a royal bearer.

The motifs that feature in the textiles from different parts of the subdistrict vary, as they are drawn from the local environments: the lau from the coastal areas feature typically masculine motifs, including kucha (horse), loiasu fanu (boat), and mai (eagle); motifs in the lau of the flat lands present traditionally feminine utensils, such as keu (bracelet), hualu (comb), ipinaka (star), and lafuru (traditional three-stone cooking stove).

A detail of seven motifs from a lau upu lakuwaru, designated for the royal liurai class. This lau was made from commercial cotton; however, the designs were dyed with indigo leaves.

Photograph, Lorehe II, Lautem District, 2013 (Greg Haraldson)

Other motifs are found in textiles throughout the subdistrict: poria-asa (leaf), chapuku (crab), and maar maar lauhana (figures of people).

Common motifs in Lautem District include (from top left to bottom right) keu (bracelet), mai (eagle), la furu (stone stove), poria-asa (leaf), chapuku (crab) and ipinaka (star). Photograph, Ililapa, Lorehe II, Lautem District,2013 (Greg Haraldson)

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ROYAL AND GENDERED MOTIFS

As with the sica lau from Tutuala, the lau upu lakuwaru also has many varieties, the difference between them determined by the use of between three and five colourful stripes. It is not known how these sets of stripes were coloured before the introduction of synthetic threads, nor why these predominantly red lau are called upu lakuwaru, which means ‘black behind’ in Fataluku. Found in the sucos of Lorehe and Bauro, the lau upu lakuwaru is also produced in the subdistrict capital, Lospalos, where the wide variety of lau reflects the heterogeneity of the town’s population.

The lau upu lakuwaru sekuru (man’s cloth) is worn as a shoulder cloth, with a lower-status cloth, such as the second-class lau keni upu lakuwaru sekuru (see Fig. 7), wrapped around the waist. The lau upu lakuwaru sekuru is also used in the lau fitu–fitu (seven-seven) ceremony, in which seventy-seven buffalo are exchanged as a bride price. These lau are also gifted as part of marriage exchanges in a Fataluku ceremony called lau puhu pen.

Charunaku lau (see Fig. 8), as its name suggests, is dyed with charunu. It is considered a firstclass cloth for the ratu caste at Luarai and Ira Ara villages of Lospalos suco. Its main colours are red and black (dyed from the charunu), and it generally has two black bands and two sets of black-andwhite sisirana inalu surrounded by several stripes of opi (dot) and kakunu (wavy line) motifs. The cloth also features medium bands of resist-dyed sisirana patterning, which are parts of the inan, or mother, band. A charunaku lau has the same first-class value as the lau upu lakuwaru made in Lorehe.

In the suco of Bauro, the ha’i lau (see Fig. 9) is a first-class cloth, similar in value to the lau upu lakuwaru in Lorehe and the sica lau in Tutuala.

The main characteristic of the ha’i lau is the red resist-dyed sisirana patterning, dyed with Morinda citrifolia, known as nenuka. However, Morinda citrifolia is not common in Lospalos and many weavers use the more readily available roko-roko to make red dye.

According to one weaver, the name ha’i implies that candlenut was once used in the making of this lau.

When dyeing with Morinda citrifolia roots, the use of candlenut or other sources of oil is an important component of the process because it helps the dye adhere to the thread. Both men and women wear the first-class ha’i lau as an outer garment, paired with a lower-status inner garment, such as the kakunu lau.

Despite its resist-dyed band of seven motifs, the lau kusin aravei (see Fig. 10) is considered a third-class lau by the ratu caste in Lorehe and Lospalos sucos (and in Maina II suco in Lautem subdistrict, where it is also found). This cloth’s dominant colour is also red, and its seven-motif in the sisirana inalu band is accompanied by several chains of small resist-dyed opi and kakunu stripes.

The main characteristic of the lau kusin aravei is the symmetrical sequence of seven colorful lines in the centre of each woven panel: green–yellow–red– black–red–yellow–green. According to Fernanda do Carmo, one of the community members who owns these cloths, these seven colorful lines represent the color of the rainbow (aravei).

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In the past, the lau kusin aravei was worn by horse caretakers or used as a type of saddle, including for transporting royal brides to their wedding ceremonies. Due to the decline in the use of horses as transportation, this cloth is now worn by ordinary people for general wear. A woman’s lau kusin aravei tupurarhini can be worn either as an inner or outer garment. If worn together with a first-class lau, the lau kusin aravei tupurarhini is worn inside; if it is worn with another third-class lau, it is worn on the outside. The man’s lau kusin aravei sekuru is worn wrapped around the waist and paired with a first-class lau upu lakuwaru sekuru, hung from the shoulder. Men can also wear lau kusin aravei sekuru as a shoulder cloth, paired with another third-class cloth.

Joanina Marques and her husband Afonso Marques in traditional dress. Photograph, Lospalos, Lautem District, 2003 (Timor Aid)

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CATALOGUE OF TEXTILES: LOSPALOS

Fig. 6 - This lau upu lakuwaru is made from commercial cotton; its motifs are dyed using indigo and nenuka (morinda roots). Its sisirana inalu (patterned bands) of seven motifs indicate that this cloth was woven for a royal liurai family.

Photograph, Lorehe II, Lautem District, 2013 (Greg Haraldson)

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Fig. 7 - This lau keni upulakuwaru with its stripe sequence of red-orange – red in the central panel, was woven with commercial cotton and its single wrap motif dyed with indigo leaves.

Photograph, Lorehe II, Lautem District, 2013 (Greg Haraldson)

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Fig. 8 - The name charunaku indicates that this charunaku lau cloth, made from commercial cotton, was dyed with indigo.

Photograph, Bauro, Lautem District, 2013 (Greg Haraldson)

Fig. 9: This ha’i lau was made by Mariana dos Santos, from Fuiloro, Lospalos subdistrict. According to her, the sisirana patterning in this lau can be dyed only with nenuka (morinda roots). Photograph, Fuiloro, Lautem District, 2013 (Greg Haraldson)

Fig. 10 - This lau kusin aravei was woven by Fernanda do Carmo from commercial cotton and the motifs dyed with indigo leaves.

Originally used as a saddle or cloth for horse caretakers, nowadays this type of lau is used as clothing by ordinary people. Photograph, Bauro, Lautem District, 2013 (Greg Haraldson)

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Road to Lautem. Photograph courtesy of David Palaz贸n 2010.

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THE TEXTILES OF MAINA I, MAINA II, PAIRARA, AND LAUTEM MORO In the western part of Lautem District, two major ethnic groups —Fataluku and Makasae— intersect and share a common tradition that encompasses other cultural groups, including the Sokolori. The fusion of these two distinct cultural traditions has given birth to a unique style of lau, structurally similar to the textiles of the Makasae people, but with Fataluku patterns and names. The lau featured here from this Sokolori-speaking area are lumur lau-karas lau and can be found in all areas visited in Lautem subdistrict during the research for this publication.

opi and kakunu stripes. On a woman’s cloth, lau o’o mimireke, the centre of each band (ihurana) includes the ornate ter design, laku lili. On the man’s cloth, lau mimireke, each band includes intricate api-api moko designs close to the wide porosana tapestry weave band.

Traditionally the lumur lau-karas lau women’s cloths always appear either in a red or black wide band.

When the wide band is red, the cloth is called lau o’o mimireke (‘red mouth cloth’) and when the band is black, it is called lau o’o lakuwaru (‘black mouth cloth’). The order of the coloured bands on a lau o’o lakuwaru defines its name; for example, a lau o’o lakuwaru with groups of alternating black and red thin bands interspersed throughout the central panel is called a pailale lau.

In the sucos of Maina I, Maina II, and Lautem, the lau o’o mimireke (see Fig. 11) is a first-class cloth suitable for ritual and ceremonial occasions. The general structure of a lau o’o mimireke includes a wide red band at either end, followed by a chain of futus with the chipi-chipi flower design. In the central panel, mimiraka pata stripes alternate with

This detail from a lau mimiraka from Maina II, made with commercial cotton and dyed with Wantex, includes api-api moko designs, which increase its value.

Photograph, Maina I, Lautem District, 2013 (Greg Haraldson)

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In the past the lau o’o mimireke was designated for lia moris ceremonies (births and weddings) and the lau o’o lakuwaru for lia mate (funeral ceremonies), nowadays, this tradition is no longer practiced.

However, for other traditional ceremonies, both cloths are used, with light or brighter colours on the outside and darker cloths on the inside.

Women wear the lau o’o mimireke with a secondclass lau o’o lakuwaru (see Fig. 12). The lau o’o mimireke tubeskirt is worn as an outer garment and the lau o’o lakuwaru tubeskirt as an inner garment.

Another man’s cloth in this area is known as lau mimireke (see Fig. 13), a large men’s cloth that features colourful stripes throughout the central panel. During the research for this publication, no lau lakuwaru men’s cloths (with a black border) were found. Men wear the first-class lau mimireke draped over the shoulder. This cloth is the most acceptable lau for ceremonial occassions, followed by the rachi or rachi kia.

Rachi or rachi kia (see Fig. 14) is considered to be a first-class cloth worn by the ratu caste in Lautem subdistrict. The people interviewed for this research could not explain the meaning of the word rachi or rachi kia. Some said it was not a Fataluku word, which would imply that the textile was originally from elsewhere. The main characteristic of the rachi is its red colour with a structure similar to the lau mimireke, differing only in the several blue lines in each woven panel in the middle of the cloth. These lines also determine whether the cloth is a rachi or a rachi kia; however, the communities were unable to

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explain the specific differences between rachi and rachi kia, although some suggested that number of blue lines determined the cloth’s type.

Other cloths found in Lautem subdistrict represent the cultural fusion and external influences common in this area. Because of their varied origins, the lau o’o furu and lau kei’lana are considered third-class textiles.

Lau o’o furu (see Fig. 15) is a type of sisirana lau with a wide sisirana inalu band at each edge and the central body filled with several small resistdyed opi and kakunu stripes. O’o furu means no, or little, mouth or large border band, like the lau o’o mimireke or lau o’o lakuwaru. Instead, the border band is replaced by a flower motif of sisirana inalu. This cloth is considered to have a contemporary design structure originating from external influences and is hence considered a thirdclass lau, not for use in cultural ceremonies. Even though the lau o’o furu is made with the sisirana technique, it can be found in Maina I, but also in Fataluku communities throughout Lautem District.

The lau kei’lana (see Fig. 16), woven with the kei’lana float warp technique, is a relatively recent style of textile in Lautem subdistrict, having been introduced during the Indonesian occupation. Its low status derives from its European-inspired motifs (see ‘European motifs’). However, despite its low value, this type of lau is very popular and is used for general wear, but not for traditional ceremonies.

Weavers are free to use colours of their choice for lau kei’lana, which both men and women wear.

Alberto Lopes models a lau mimireke with porosana technique, woven by his wife Mariana dos Santos during the Indonesian occupation for him to wear as a leal morador (traditional guard). Photograph, Fuiluro, Lautem District, 2013 (Greg Haraldson)

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Motifs inspired from European design work were introduced into Timor-Leste by Portuguese missionaries, who used the patterns in embroidery and cross stitch books to teach Timorese women how to sew during colonial times. The most common European motifs evident in Lautem textiles today include roosters, flowers, and Christian iconography. Although popular, European motifs relegate the cloths on which they feature to the third class because of their external origin.

Patterns from Portuguese desfiado, embroidery, have made their way into Lautem textile designs, as can be seen in this embroidered cloth and woven lau. Photograph, Lospalos, Lautem District 2013 (David Palaz贸n)

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EUROPEAN MOTIFS

CATALOGUE OF TEXTILES: LAUTEM

Fig. 11 - The ornate designs laku lili motif (detail) on this lau o’o mimireke were made using the ter technique. Photograph, Maina II, Distritu Lautem, 2013 (Greg Haraldson)

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Fig. 12 - This lau o’o lakuwaru is called larantuka. The weaver, Albina de Oliveira, said her mother left her this cloth but never told her its origin or the story behind its name. Ornate with rata hurana and made of commercial cotton and dyed with Wantex, this cloth includes blue motifs that are a variation of a lau o’o lakuwaru; however, it is not used for cultural purposes because it is considered to originate from another area. Photograph, Lautem-Moro, Distritu Lautem, 2013 (Greg Haraldson)

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CATALOGUE OF TEXTILES: LAUTEM

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Fig. 13 - Mariana dos Santos from Fiuloro wove this lau sekuru mimireke during the Indonesian occupation for her husband, Alberto Lopes, to wear as leal morador (traditional guard).

Photograph, Bauro, Lautem District, 2013 (Greg Haraldson)

Fig. 14 - Rachi or rachi kia is the most common man’s cloth used nowadays in the cultural tradition due to its large size and minimal motifs.

This cloth was woven

by Rita Xavier using commercial threads and synthetic dyes.

Photograph, Pairara, Lautem-Moro, Lautem District, 2013 (Greg Haraldson)

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Fig. 15 - This lau o’o furu was woven by an unknown weaver in aldeia Oirata, suco Laikara in Maina II. The material was from commercial cotton and the motifs dyed with indigo leaves. It is considered as a new style of cloth.

Photograph, Maina II, Lautem District, 2013 (Greg Haraldson)

Fig. 16 - This lau kei’lana was woven

by Rita da Costa from Maina II with commercial cotton in the 1980’s for her own use. Photograph, Maina II, Lautem District, 2013 (Greg Haraldson)

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CONCLUSION

REFERENCES

The rich and varied weaving traditions of Lautem District are an important part of Timor-Leste’s heritage. In the face of the rapid cultural, linguistic, and economic changes happening throughout the tiny nation of Timor-Leste, the lau of Lautem District provide a window into the area’s past and present diversity, mapping the history, heritage, and creativity of its people.

Forshee, Jill. “Loss and Return: Personal Stories of Fataluku Weavers,” in Textiles of Timor: Island in the Woven Sea, Hamilton, R., and Barrkman, J. (eds), Fowler Museum at UCLA Press, Los Angeles, 2014

Lospalos is the centre of development in Lautem District, and its modernisation is contributing to both the dilution of its distinctive lau and the creative diversification of its textiles.

The lau of Lautem subdistrict represent a fusion of the aesthetics and cultures of neighbouring and external communities —a creative collaboration which continues to allow Lautem weavers to innovate. The traditions of Tutuala subdistrict, at the eastern end of the island of Timor, were not as affected during the occupation as those from the western parts of the country. However, Tutuala’s unique and sacred textile patterns now reside in the hands of ever-fewer weavers.

The future survival and development of these textiles will depend on whether today’s generation learn the skills to continue their production, and on how they choose to weave their own legacy.

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Barrkman, Joanna. “Fataluku textiles of Lautem”, in The Art of Futus: ikat Weaving of Timor-Leste, Barrkman, J., (Portuguese– English ed.) Timor Aid, 2014

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