This book is a collection of original photographs and text written by the authors, and is a compilation of material accumulated during 6 visits to Nusa Tenggara in the late 70's and early 80's while researching the weaving process known as ikat. Nusa Tenggara is an Indonesian geographical region located east of Bali and consisting of hundreds of islands. During their visits, the Vianis traveled in Sumba, Timor, and extensively in Flores, writing, photographing, and collecting.



Ikat is a traditional dyeing technique where the design, or motif, is applied to the thread BEFORE the cloth is woven on the loom. The design is applied to the thread using a resist dye technique, similar to tie-dye, and when the design is complete, the threads are assembled onto the loom and weaving begins. The weaving process of better ikat textiles often begins with spinning the threads and using natural dyes to create sophisticated designs. What's particularly intriguing about this culturally rich area of Indonesia is that it's one of the few places in the world where the principal garment of local women is designed, woven, and worn on a daily basis.