“POWER & PATTERNS” Exhibition of Iban Ikats

You are invited to the online exhibition of interesting Iban Ikats

The Iban society used the spear and the loom as symbols to evoke the differentiation of male and female gender roles.

Trophy heads and woven textiles were both equally significant as cultural constructs and both, warriors and weavers enjoyed equal prestige in the social structure.

One of the most important ceremonies of receiving trophy heads when warriors returned after victory involved the ikat shoulder cloth woven by the women. Only certain cloths were allowed to be used for this ceremony and only women of high prestige created these cloths.

Such was the importance of textiles in the Iban community.

The drawing on these Ikats was not random – each motif or pattern was selected deliberately for the significance of the motif. The symbolism and the crafting expertise (in weaving and in dyeing) determined the prestige of the cloth, and the prestige of the weaver. The textiles creation skills of a woman decided her prestige and power within the social order.

The motifs and patterns each have a deep cultural symbolism. So while my notes describe the motif as a serpent or a crocodile, the cultural significance of these requires a much longer study into the fascinating Iban culture.

Presented at the exhibition are 21 artworks of interest.

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jm / jan 2024