Indonesian songket weaving coming to Cuenca.
By Yulia Savitri
Indonesia’s ambassador to Ecuador, Diennaryati Tjokrosuprihatono, told The Jakarta Post that Palembang songket (traditional gold-threaded woven fabric) will be exhibited at Ecuador’s largest crafts’ fair in November. The exhibit will be at the Centro Interamericano de Artesanías y Artes Populares (CIDAP), during the annual Cuenca holidays festival.
Tjokrosuprihatono says CIDAP is the appropriate venue for Indonesian songket since CIDAP’s mission is to preserve unique art, culture and crafts. “Ecuador and Indonesia share many similarities in the weaving arts since ikat weaving, which is like songket is many respects, originated independently hundreds or even thousands of years ago in the two communities.”
In addition to sharing songket with Ecuadorians, Tjokrosuprihatono says he wants to introduce the weaving to new markets to promote the sales of songket products. “Our artisans need new markets and want to attain international certification for their unique work.”
The ambassador said Palembang, the center of the songket craft in Indonesia, shares many cultural attributes with Cuenca, which is the center of ikat weaving in South America.
