Dedication of a Male Weaver

KOMPAS/KORNELIS KEWA AMA.

Thobias Lomi Ratu

Not many men work as weavers. In East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), Thobias Lomi Ratu, 41, is one of them. He is engaged in weaving not only for work, but to protect the legacy of his parents.

Met at his residence at Jembatan Petuk, Kupang city, Wednesday (7/10/2020), Thobias said his parents had taught him various skills to survive since he was five years old. His father taught him how to tap sap from lontar palm trees. His mother taught all knowledge about weaving.

"At the age of eight, I switched from tapping the sap to become a weaving craftsman. I followed mama to the forests on Sabu Island to look for natural dyes,” said Thobias. He said his parents did not have a daughter, so all the weaving skills were passed on to Thobias. This knowledge includes techniques for spinning threads, making natural dyes, dyeing threads and weaving.

At the age of eight, I switched from tapping the sap to become a weaving craftsman.

Thobias has memorized the types of plants, fruits, tubers, seeds and sap in the forest or farm that can produce color. Some of them are noni barks, turmeric, dried areca nuts, lime, betel leaves, teak leaves, avocado seeds, lontar palm fruit skin and banana fluid.

The ingredients are mixed to produce specific colors. Thobias said, until 2010, the basic colors of the weaving from Sabu were black and white. Currently, the basic colors vary according to demand. The most popular colors among consumers today are brown, pink, gray, dark yellow and metallic colors. Thobias knows very well how to mix different colors to produce the desired colors.

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Apart from the matter of color, Thobias has also inherited the technique of spinning cotton threads that he buys from Sabu. In this process, he is assisted by his wife and two daughters. The spinning must follow the same process as his ancestors in order to produce fine threads.

He does not want to use factory-made threads to protect his ancestral heritage. After all, Thobias further said, dyeing on natural cotton threads is much more integrated in colors than on factory-made threads.

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KOMPAS/KORNELIS KEWA AMA

Thobias Lomi Ratu

Like his mother, he is dedicated to maintaining the weaving of his ancestral heritage. In order to obtain woven fabric that does not fade during use, he carries out a dyeing process that takes three months. White threads are boiled for 24 hours with dyes. After being dried, they are boiled again. "I repeat this 30 times so that the color does not fade," he said.

The process of boiling, drying and dyeing takes place 10 times per month. The threads are lifted and dried in the sun from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. At this time, the sunlight is much better.

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The process of making a piece of woven cloth is long and complicated, taking up to six months. Because of this, Thobias\' fabrics are highly valued. The price of a sheet of cloth measuring 170 centimeters in length and 80 cm in width ranges from Rp 2.5 million to Rp 5 million.

"People from outside NTT come to my place. Often they have already shopped for sarongs at weaving centers in Kupang city, where prices range from Rp 300,000 to Rp 2.5 million per sheet. They are surprised when they hear the price of the fabrics that I offer. They consider it too expensive. After hearing about my work process, they understand, but rarely buy it,” said Thobias.

He does not want to provide the type of weaving that is priced below Rp 2.5 million per sheet. He considers it a poor type of weaving that is done carelessly, and not of high quality, so the color of the fabric fades quickly.

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Due to the high price, Thobias\' work is not quickly absorbed by the market, especially during a pandemic like now. If usually one month he can sell 2-3 pieces of cloth, now during the pandemic, not a single piece of cloth has been sold.

"I\'m really having a hard time. Let alone for business capital, spending on food and drink is difficult every day, especially during this pandemic,” said Thobias, who admitted that he had not received any assistance from the government.

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KOMPAS/KORNELIS KEWA AMA.

Thobias Lomi Ratu  and his wife Dorce Mengi

Not many craftsmen in NTT still maintain the authenticity of the ancestral weavings.

About 200 pieces of cloth created by Thobias are now neatly stored in a glass cabinet at his residence. He continues to weave in the 32-square-meter workspace.

In order to earn money, he makes woven bags. The prices vary, ranging from Rp 100,000 to Rp 300,000 per piece. At least 2-5 pieces were sold in several exhibitions in Kupang city. The sales proceeds are sufficient to meet household needs in this difficult time.

Even though the business is not running smoothly, he does not want to reduce product quality. He still makes bags or woven fabrics with natural threads and dyes that he makes by himself. Even though he admitted, it is very tiring.

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"Not many craftsmen in NTT still maintain the authenticity of the ancestral weavings. The other craftsmen have changed a lot according to market tastes,” he said.

Thobias is one of the few men who choose to be a weaver in NTT. He tries to pass the skills on to several other men in Kupang, but only one of them has followed in his footsteps. The man chooses to use yarn and dye from the shop.

The history of weaving in NTT is closely related to women. In ancient times, if a woman was not able to weave, she was not allowed to marry the man she idolized. Maybe this tradition makes men feel that weaving is the right of women.

"However, that is wrong. Women and men have the same rights and obligations in society. I want to change that understanding," said Thobias.

Thobias Lomi Ratu

Born: Sabu, 31 August 1979

Wife: Dorce Mengi

Children: Aldi Lomi Ratu, 14; Marlina Lomi Ratu, 10; Serli Lomi Ratu, 8; Yendra Lomi Ratu, 5

Education: Third grader of SD Lobolout Sabu elementary school.