Learn to Weave at Sukarara Village
Weaved cloth is one of traditional arts of Lombok island which has special and distinct beauty. You can find that when you’re in Sukarara village and you will hear traditional weaving tool, not a machine. This village indeed is a village which already wide known as traditional weaved cloth producer in Lombok island. The life of the people is mostly filled by operating the traditional tool to weave. They produce various kinds of merchandise, such as cloth, dress, table cover, blanket, and scarf with high quality and beautiful motifs. Due the high quality product they produce, their village has been widely attract many visitors, local or foreign.
In Sukarara village you may find many women are work as a weaver. It used to be a myth that a man will get infertile if he weave. But the myth is started to be left behind and now many men are work as a weaver. The men usually weave for tenun ikat (string weave) while the women usually weave for tenun songket (weave which usually embroidered with gold /silver threads).
The material to weave such as cotton fabric, nylon, silk, silver thread and mersis thread usually imported from outside Lombok. While for the color, they still use traditional material such as seed of tamarind, turmeric, mahogany bark, and betel vine leaf. But there are some threads that already colored with special colors.
If you want to buy weaved cloth from this village, you will have so many motifs you have to choose. But the most famous motif and becomes an icon of this village is the subahnala motif. This motif’s name came from Arabic language. According to local story, when the weavers were weaving this kind of motif, that repeatedly saying ‘subhanaallah’. The word is mentioned because it is hard to weave this motif and it took a long time to make it.
Beside subahnala motif, there are other motifs too such as Keker, Serat Penginang, Cunglik and so on. The price is vary, from IDR 25,000 scarf to IDR 3,000,000 weaved-cloth. If you wish for batik cloth, you can also find in this village. The handmade or the printing batik are available here with Sasambo and Lombok special character with price from IDR 600,000 – 1,000,000.
If you’re curious to see the weaving process, you can see it in major gift stores in this village. In Dharma Setya Artshop for example, you can see lines of weaving tool being operated by man and woman. You can also try to weave in this place.
To get into this place, you can take personal/rental car, public transportation or motorbike. If you’re using personal car/ motorbike, the route is Mataram-Cakaranegara-Kediri-Sukarara. While if you’re using public transportation, you have to take route Mataram-Bertais (IDR 3,000), Bertais-Praya (IDR 6,000), and stop at Renteg bus station. From this station, you can take cidomo with cost IDR 5,000/person.
Also mentioned: SUKARARA VILLAGE.
- Please bring cash money if you want to shop at this village. Beside the long distance to the nearest ATM, the sellers take cash money only.
- Don’t miss to learn how to weave to local people you meet.
- Don’t hesitate to bargain if you’re shopping.
- After you buy one, please ask how to take care the weaved cloth so it will be long lasting.
Additional Information and Map
- Location: Jonggat village, north Lombok district.
- Public Facilities: parking area, toilet, small mosque, and gift shops.
- Other Services: Opens at 08.00-19.00 WITA