Glossary

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  • (Musa textilis) a type of banana used as a source of leaf fiber for weaving cloth (amongst other uses), particularly in the Philippines. Abaca is usually processed into flat, untwisted strips before weaving.
  • Customary law in traditional Indonesian society. A code of conduct governing social relations understood as having been handed down by the ancestors.
  • A ceremonial structure where community-owned heirloom objects, often including textiles, are stored.
  • A synonym for commercial synthetic dyes. The earliest synthetic dyes were made from aniline, a coal-tar derivative. Discovered in 1856, aniline dyes were commercialized for a short period in the 19th century but had very poor light fastness and were soon replaced by other types of synthetic dye. The name, however, has stuck.

  • Embellishment of finished fabric by application of another piece of cloth or other accessory objects such as sequins, to create patterns. Patterning effects of appliqué may vary from abstract geometric designs to bold, figurative motifs.

  • The major language group found throughout the Indonesian archipelago, extending from Taiwan in the north, Madagascar to the west and the Polynesian Islands to the east.