The Traditional Weaving of Sukarara in Lombok

by Barrie | January 24th, 2011   Tweet

Lombok has so much to offer travellers and any visitor to the island will be first struck by the awesome and natural beauty of the environment. But, the island has so much more and their culture and handicrafts are amazing. When I last visited there I was particularly interested in the textiles woven using traditional looms.

Located in the centre of the island and only a short drive from the city of Mataram in the north-west of the island is a delightful but small village called Sukarara. A village that has some incredible views of the mountains and volcanoes of the north and all its buildings are traditionally laid adding to the experience.

The main focus of the village is in the production of fabrics and cloth used for a variety of things including clothing and other decorative items. In Sukarara are some of the most popular and aesthetically pleasing traditional designs to be found in the archipelago of Indonesia.

The useful force of earthy colours coupled with the traditional eastern patterns are entrancing in their design. Here one can witness the production of these amazing materials from the thread woven on looms. The villagers have retained the traditional customs and rituals, revered and practiced in Lombok over the centuries. The weaving community is an amazing experience and at Sukarara there are many workshops selling the goods woven in the village.

I visited the workshop of Panji Sari and the selection of woven cloth in a variety of colours was outstanding. Prices for these handmade textiles vary with some pieces fetching into the millions of Rupiah. Be prepared to bargain the price and you could find yourself with a beautiful hand-woven treasure. When visiting Lombok, Sukarara is the place to buy the traditional woven cloth.