A sample from the collection set we keep. We have plans to deposit the set of about ten cloths with a museum or a collector who agress to exhibit them. We can also exhibit the set, and more, up to twenty cloths for variety. This sarong cloth, similar to Widhi mata, is called Cabu songgo in the Nitu Léa (Nitung) domain, Palu’e island. The weavers in Nitu léa (with the neighbouring Cu’a) made this type of cloth for the women in preparation for the bringing-of-buffalo ceremony Pua karapau in late 2016. This variant is only known here, and the motherbands are, like all cloths of a certain domain, filled with the domain’s motifs, some are same as in other domains, others different, some have the same names but look a little different.. see the upcoming article in Archipel no. 100 (Danerek x 2, 2020). To make this cloth we, with our master weaver Longge from the Kéli domain, borrowed a cloth from Nitu léa to use as a model. Longge did all the work on this piece; ikat, dyeing, weaving. The warp is still uncut.
Dhama Cabu songgo by Longge.
The motif names in sara Lu’a are (from the right): 1. manu wa’ine 2. laku la’ene mata bane 3. keke 4. mbési 5. laku la’ene mata limane 6. keke 7. mata ké’o 8. laku la’ene mata bane 9. keke 10. kolo dhengune 11. laku laéne mata dhelune 12. keke 13. koli nggiku sao hiwi panane 14. laku laéne mata dhelune 15. keke 16. koli nggiku sao ha hiwi 17. laku la’ene mata limane 18. keke 19. manu wa’ine 20. laku laéne mata dhelune 21. keke.
A motif sequence begins with manu wa’ine ‘chicken feet’. Laku la’ene ‘trace of civet cat’ in Nitu léa is mentioned with the numbers of triangles in one of the rows above and below the small dotted rombuses. Keke (or keké), are the comb-like dividers, two types. Can you spot the ‘bird’s neck’ (kolo dhengune)?
