Weaving

Early this year I took a weaving course at Taipei City Indigenous College. 

Indigenous college is a type of community college sponsored by the Council of Indigenous Peoples Executive Yuan for the purpose of continuing indigenous languages, tradition, art and knowledge through the means of education.

At the moment, there are around 15 indigenous colleges in Taiwan. See "The empowerment of indigenous tribe community university - Take Hualien indigenous community college for example" (MA thesis by Tu Yi-jen, 2010) for a critical reflection upon these colleges from the perspective of Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Brazilian educator Paulo Freire. 

However, my personal start with weaving wasn't at all critical. Nor was it culturally obligated since I am not Atayal (the third largest indigenous people in Taiwan), whose women must learn how to weave to deserve a good name, face tattoos and, mostly importantly, recognition from ancestors on the other side of the rainbow bridge, so they will take her home after she finishes her journey in this world.

I took weaving simply because I was then in need of a therapy. 

It was not to say Paiwan do not weave, either. 

Though Paiwan are generally better known for the art of embroidery or needlework, such as satin-stitch, cross-stitch, chain-stitch, applique or bead work, they are also good at weaving too, especially 'inlay' or 'brocade'. In fact, Paiwan in the past were so good at this art that many patterns were simply too difficult for students to learn and became either lost forever or only found in the museum. So my Atayal teacher said regretfully. Oh, that was new to me. 

In my level-one weaving course, we were taught weaving from the scratch. 

First, a structure chart (left photo) must be drawn, which includes the number of threads and the colors that will be used for this particular project. It's the most basic thing about weaving: draw a structure and learn to recognize a structure. It leads the following step of beam-warping.

Weaving requires much more logical thinking and math than I originally realized. For simple techniques like plain weave (left photo) and twill weave, the structure is simple and you can probably afford to forget about it after you get the hang of the weave. However, for complicate techniques like brocading weave - which is quite beyond my current level -, a structure is more elaborate and always recommended. The amount of calculating involved really shocks me. 

Beam-warping follows the drawing of  a structure. It means to sort out the threads and put them on the loom. It requires absolute concentration because the act is repetitive and distraction will make you lose count. The result will be an incomplete pattern. Besides, it is better to do it during day-time or in a bright room, so your eyes will not strain too much. 

Fortunately, every mistaken thread can be saved. You can add a missing thread or cut the extra one. So my Atayal teacher said, there is no error that cannot be fixed in weaving; so it is with life. What a consolation, and how true. 

Then with a shuttle and a hitting rod, a weaver can start weaving and enjoy the happiness as patterns start to show themselves. For Atayal, the diamonds (see the orange circles in the photo above) are often understood as the eyes of the ancestors, and the seesaws (see the green seesaws along two sides of the belt in the photo above) resemble the lines and curves of face tattoos. 

Although in the past, Taiwanese indigenous peoples (Atayal, Seeqid, Truku, Paiwan or Bunun) used ground loom tied horizontally to the back of the weaver who sat on the ground, nowadays my Atayal teacher said most women are happy with New Zealand export desk machine, such as the one I use in the photo. So they won't suffer from back pain or scoliosis. This is an inkle or ribbon loom, used for small projects like belts and good for beginners.

Naturally, bigger projects will need bigger weaving machines. They are more expensive and occupy much more space. Though I will work on this ribbon loom for quite a while in the foreseeable future, I know I still want a bigger machine nonetheless.

So after a season, I finished a dozen of belts, and my new diary book is wearing two of them with the help of styrofoam glue. Very happy!

There are many ways of how these belts can be used. This knowledge is outside the weaving course, but very much sought after by some classmates who wish to earn a living out of the art of weaving. For example, these belts can be sewed to a shirt, skirt, hand bag, wallet or any possible thing as a piece of decoration. It makes the product unique and thereby raises the price.

There is a reason why hand-made commodities are sometimes quite costly. After this course, I realize the time and energy a person has to invest in the making of a thing. Though I enjoy the process very much, there is no way I could deny the hard-work either.

Weaving for me is a hobby and a therapy. It has worked quite well, and I look forward to the new lights it's going to bring, both in terms of my knowledge of indigenous culture and of myself.

Here is a beautiful Atayal traditional Weaving Song by O-Kai A Cappella Singers, a world-famous and awarding-winning Atayal a cappella choir: