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very house on the Kisar and Nusa Leti islands, as well as whole families in the island chain in Southwest Maluku regency, Maluku, must keep at least three sheets of ikat woven fabric at home. Besides being part of traditional attire during cultural events, ikat cloth is also given to families suffering bereavements.

“The ikat fabric is also a symbol of a family bond, because when a member of the family passes away, other families will come and bring the cloth for the deceased. Likewise, if we have already handed over the fabric, and if any of our family members die, the family that receives an ikat fabric from us previously would reciprocate. So every family on Kisar must own the cloth because we cannot predict a person’s death,” said Alex Diadira, chief of Lekloor village, Pulau Pulau Terselatan district, Southwest Maluku.

Three types of the fabric are presented when a person dies. The first comes from the family of the deceased, and is used as a mat for the body. The second type is brought by the family and placed in the coffin, the third is given to wipe the tears of the deceased’s wife or mother.

The more families giving the cloth, the higher the social status of the deceased will be. All the cloth handed to the family is also buried in the grave as part of the deceased’s belongings in the thereafter.

“People will never stop making the ikat fabric because it is also presented to those who we respect, including the family,” said Alex.

Ikat weaving on Kisar is carried out by women after they finish their daily chores, like farming, cooking and taking care of the family. A piece of ikat fabric can be completed in between one and three weeks.

“We will weave the cloth if we have the time,” said the leader of the Women’s Weavers Cooperative in Oirata village, Pulau Pulau Terselatan district, Yuliana Resimere.

Ikat weaving is a self-taught activity handed down from one generation to the other. Hendrina Rehiara, 72, has weaved ikat since she was 25-years-old. She still weaves with her instinct and feeling despite her weak eyesight.

“I have already memorized the techniques,” she said.

When a World Bank team visited Hendrina on April 14, she was working on a piece of ikat cloth with special motifs representing the Rehiara and Dadiara families.

“Only the Dadiara and Rehiara families can use the motifs. Just by looking at the ikat cloth they wear, we can guess where their family is from,” said Alex.

Ikat cloth produced on Kisar Island uses natural materials, such as yarn spun from cotton and coloring dyes using tree bark and roots.

The weaving process is also intricate and traditional, given the expensive price of the fabric. A piece of ikat cloth measuring 1.5 by 2.5 meters could be priced at between Rp 1.5 million (US$180) and Rp 4 million, and it can be completed in three weeks.