Tribal Weavings of the Lesser Sunda IslandsMaumere-Lembata-Alor-Kupang-Savu-Flores-Sumba-Labuan Bajo

The diverse Lesser Sunda Islands, stretching eastwards from Bali, offer the most amazing landscapes and a glorious cornucopia of weaving for textile lovers. Here women not only continue to make their traditional cloth on back-tension looms but continue to wear it as well. There is kaleidoscopic variety of patterns and designs – every region of every island has its own unique textile culture, its own style of dress, and its own motifs.Together we will explore the extraordinary ancestral traditions of these islands where textiles are the predominant form of artistic expression, still playing a central role in every significant stage of life, especially marriage and death. Some islanders even remark that: ‘without cloth we cannot marry’.

However change is underway in even the remotest villages and weavers are no longer passing on their skills to the next generation. We have a unique opportunity to witness a dying art form before it is gone forever.

We will enjoy the luxury of cruising effortlessly from island to island, crossing a rugged, isolated region where travel is normally a tough logistical nightmare. Our graceful phinisi offers us access to villages and beaches that would otherwise be almost impossible to reach. Along the way there will be time to enjoy the amazing volcanic scenery, meet local villagers, visit traditional markets, buy local textiles, swim and snorkel over pristine coral, relax and have fun. This is a fantastic, adventurous way to travel providing memories that passengers will treasure for the rest of their lives.

Our British expert textile guides, David and Sue Richardson, look forward to introducing guests to each island, its people and its culture, sharing their knowledge through a series of evening talks.

Meet the expertsDavid and Sue are passionate researchers and collectors of Asian textiles and have spent the past twenty-five years travelling to remote weaving villages across Island and Mainland South-east Asia, the Indian Subcontinent and Central Asia. Their fieldwork has involved research in Thailand, Laos, Burma, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and of course Indonesia.

Since first visiting Indonesia in 1980, David and Sue have systematically visited every part of the archipelago, ranging from Sumatra in the west to Western Papua in the east, from North Maluku in the north to Timor in the south, journeying both overland and by sea using a variety of local vessels.

David and Sue have lectured about their textile researches to Rug and Textile Societies across the USA and in Europe. Their richly-illustrated book on the culture and textiles of the Qaraqalpaqs of Central Asia, Qaraqalpaqs of the Aral Delta, was released by the high-end art publisher Prestel in July 2012 and has received excellent reviews.

Day 1

You will be met at Maumere airport by your guides David and Sue Richardson and transferred to the harbour to embark on the Ombak Putih. After everybody has boarded and settled in their cabins we will sail out into the beautiful Bay of Maumere to find a quiet anchorage with the extinct volcano of Ili Kimang as a backdrop. We will have an introductory talk to the textiles of the region and a welcome dinner. Day 2

We will return to Maumere harbour during breakfast before driving to colourful Geliting Friday market where, in addition to fish, fruit, and vegetables they also sell local ikat. We will then drive inland to get our first experience of local dyeing and weaving at the Bliran Sina weaving cooperative at Watublapi village led by Daniel David, where they produce cloth typical of the Iwang Geté region. In the afternoon we visit the Blikon Blewut Museum at Ledalero to see the important collection of Lesser Sunda textiles assembled by Catholic missionaries in the 1950s and 60s. We move on to a local village to examine the different style of weaving in the central Krowé region.

Overnight sail to Alor.

Day 5

An early start sees us drive through the island’s rugged landscape to the traditional village of Tapkala where the local Abui women, dressed in their ceremonial costumes, will entertain us with the colourful lego-lego circle dance, used to celebrate weddings and other life cycle events. The village has a dramatic setting and the two-storey pyramidal houses have an interesting architecture. The villagers will have a range of textiles and baskets

Day 3

In the morning we will moor close to Larantuka, exploring a small weaving village that few visitors ever get to see, in the shadow of the imposing Ili Mandiri volcano. The local people are the Lamaholot and their weaving is quite different from that encountered elsewhere in Flores. After lunch we will visit one of the nearby islands for snorkelling.

Day 4

Today we arrive in northern Lembata and will drop anchor on the north coast below the towering active volcano of Ili Api. We will go ashore to see the distinctive ikat weaving of this region, meeting weavers from three different villages. While we have lunch the boat will set sail for Jontona where we will be welcomed by dancing before climbing into trucks for an exhilarating drive up to the ancestral village, dramatically located on the slopes of the volcano. Here we will see some of the treasures used in the bridewealth exchanges including elephant tusks and Moko drums. A selling exhibition of textiles will give you an opportunity to add weavings from a different region to your collection.

Day to day itinerary

for us to purchase. Alor is very ethnically diverse and we will make a short stop at the museum in Kalabahi which has a fine display of regional ikat. After a reviving lunch back on board we will visit the totally different village of Monbang, where the villagers will welcome us dressed in barkcloth. They will show us various aspects of their daily lives and, of course, how they make the cloth. Barkcloth and

baskets will also be available to purchase.We hope to have a late afternoon swim and snorkel session before setting off for the southern coast of Lembata.

Day 6

This morning we arrive at one of our favourite places, Lamalera, going ashore to explore the famous whaling village with its rows of boat houses lining the beach. Local weavers will show us their morinda dyeing process and how they produce their kewatek ikat sarongs. The depth of colour they achieve is truly outstanding. We will then walk up the hill to another part of the village where the schoolteacher is keen for us to meet his students and tell them about our interest in their traditions. After we board the Ombak Putih the local villagers will demonstrate the hazardous whaling techniques they use to hunt sperm whales from small outriggers. We then sail south across the Savu Sea heading for Kupang in West Timor.

Day 7

After disembarking at the old harbour where Captain Bligh landed in 1789 we drive the short distance to the Museum of

and dyers will demonstrate how they spin and dye their cotton before weaving their tubeskirts, referred to locally as ei. Designs differ according to the tribal affiliation of the weaver. Textiles will be available to purchase and we will then explore the village including the ritual house where the heirloom baskets for textiles are kept. We return to the boat for lunch and in the afternoon pay a brief visit to the important

Day to day itinerary continued

Nusa Tenggara where we will be welcomed by the Director who will give us a private viewing of some of the best textiles in the collection. Our route then takes us through beautiful scenery for our welcome by dancers who will escort us to our reception by the King of the Amarasi in his Royal Pavilion. An accomplished artist himself, he is justifiably proud of the weaving done by his people and, after a dance performance, we will be able to study their techniques and purchase examples of their textiles. During lunch the boat will reposition to enable us to visit a group of weavers from the Helong tribe who will show us the different styles of their ikat costume.

Sail overnight to the island of Savu.

Day 8

We will land at Napae Bay where Captain Cook moored the Endeavour on his way home after his expedition to Australia. Going ashore we will be welcomed by local dancers and by ikat-clad horsemen. A very scenic drive in open trucks will bring us to our next group of weavers who live in a hilltop village with fantastic views down to the coast. These master weavers

ritual village of Namata, where priests of the ancestral religion Jingi tiu use the many megalithic platforms for sacred purposes. We then move on to another village to see yet more excellent weaving. If we have time we will also have a demonstration of lontar palm tapping and perhaps taste the local alcohol made from this. Overnight we head north across theSavu Sea to the southern coast of Flores

Day 9

Back in the land of volcanoes! Today we travel up the steep slopes of Gunung Inerie to visit two Ngada villages. The Ngada are a matrilineal society and our first stop will be the spectacularly situated village of Gurusina where we see large numbers of buffalo horns decorating the thatched houses. We then continue on to Bena where we will find textiles hung outside the houses for sale.

After lunch we enjoy a swim before we return back across the Savu Sea for the first of our two days in East Sumba, one of the most important weaving regions in the Lesser Sundas.

Day 10

Arriving on the eastern coast of Sumba we will land on the beach at Melolo where buses will be waiting to take us to the nearby traditional village of Praiyawang where we will see a traditional compound of Sumbanese houses and stone slab tombs and of course some weaving. We then drive to Umabara with its traditional houses, megaliths, and tombs before exploring the neighbouring Royal village of

Pau which is renowned for its supplementary warp weaving, known as pahikung. After lunch the boat will move to a long sandy beach where we can enjoy an afternoon swim or snorkel.

The boat then repositions to Waingapu harbour. Guests are invited to don their finest ikat purchases for a party with the crew entertaining us with traditional Indonesian songs.

Day 11

An early start beginning with a visit to a small workshop producing some of the highest quality hinggi to be found on the island. Here we will learn how the designs are created and transferred onto the warp set and we will begin to understand the laborious process of binding that is required to produce these spectacular and intricately patterned cloths. Superb hinggi will be available to buy, after which we will walk around the Royal village of Prailiu. We will no doubt be accosted by eager textile sellers at every turn.

We will then take a short drive through paddy fields to a rarely visited weaving village where we will be entertained by traditional dances in a shady spot in the centre of the village before enjoying our final opportunity to purchase Sumbanese textiles. On the way back to the boat we will stop at the cathedral to see the statue of Christ dressed in ikat.

Back to the boat for a late lunch as we set sail for Labuan Bajo. Tonight we will have our farewell dinner as we prepare to say goodbye to the crew and our newfound friends.

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Route Map

Prices & Inclusions

Cruise Code Start Date Finish Date Cruise Description Vessel No Days Price US$

OP1405FSF2 14-May-15 25-May-14 Tribal Weaving of the lesser Ombak Putih 12 $ 5940* Sunda Islands * Prices are per person and based on sharing a double or a twin cabin

Day 12

Our final mooring will be in the port of Labuan Bajo. After breakfast we will transfer to nearby Komodo Airport.

Guests who wish to extend their holiday with visits in the Komodo national park can contact us. SeaTrek will be happy to arrange this.

Terms & Conditions

Reservations: You may reserve space on one of our cruises by email (info@seatrekbali.com), online at (www.seatrekbali.com), by fax +62 361 283 357 or by telephone +62 361 270 604.

Your booking is not final until you receive a final confirmation from us.

Deposits and Final Payment: A deposit of twenty five percent (25%) per person is required at the time of booking. Final payment is due ninety (90) days prior to departure. If your booking is made within ninety (90) days of departure, the entire cruise cost must be paid at the time of booking. Payments may be made by credit card, cash, or wire transfer. If you pay your deposit by wire, we will confirm your reservation once your payment has cleared the bank.

Cancellations by You and Refunds: To cancel your booking, you must submit your request to us in writing by email at info@seatrekbali.com. Cancellation fees will be applied per person according to the following schedule, based on the date we receive your written notification.

• More than 90 days prior to departure, 25% of the total cruise cost

• Within 90 days to 59 days prior, 50% of the total cruise cost

• Within 60 days prior, 100% of cruise costYour trip/cruise is transferable should you provide an alternate participant at the same fare. No refunds will apply to unused portions of a trip once the tour begins. If SeaTrek has unreimbursed payments on your behalf once we confirm your trip, a change fee may be imposed. The trip price does not include travel insurance.

Travel Insurance: As the trip price does not include travel insurance for your protection, we strongly encourage you to purchase trip cancellation and interruption insurance.

Cancellations or Changes by Us and Flexibility: We reserve the right to cancel, alter or modify any trip without prior notice for the safety and/or comfort of clients due to local circumstances or events. On rare occasion, a trip cancelation may occur in which case a full refund will be issued to you less any airline ticket cancellation fees and nonrefundable deposits. This will constitute full settlement of claims you may have arising out of our cancellation.

Force Majeure: SeaTrek will not be deemed in breach of this agreement by reason of delay in performance or nonperformance of any of its obligations under this agreement to the extent that any such delay or nonperformance is due to any Force Majeure. “Force Majeure” means any circumstances beyond the reasonable control of SeaTrek.

Pre-Departure Documentation: Please read all trip-related documents as soon as you receive them. It is your responsibility to contact us if any information is incorrect. SeaTrek will provide this agreement, a waiver of liability and assumption of risk agreement and a medical questionnaire to be signed and returned, in addition to your Booking Confirmation and Travel Information.

Passports and Visas: Please ensure that all necessary travel documents are valid and effective and in your possession. Passports are required for all participants and MUST be valid for at least 6 months after your date of return. Please assume full responsibility for checking and verifying any and all passport, visa, vaccination, or other entry requirements. We may provide information or advice on general matters such as climate, clothing, baggage, and special equipment in good faith as a courtesy to you, however, please fully assure yourself you are properly prepared.

Itineraries: Every effort will be made to carry out our cruise itinerary as planned however our itineraries are subject to change at the captain’s discretion. When touring at sea, weather, currents, and even harbor masters don’t always co-operate with our planned itinerary, which sometimes make our planned schedules challenging or even impossible to carry out. For that reason, our written itineraries must be approached with reasonable flexibility. We reserve the right to make alterations due to circumstances beyond our control and/or other factors, in the best interests of all. It’s part of the adventure.

Health Requirements and Medical Care: Our trips have varying levels of demands and fitness requirements depending on the specific itinerary and optional activities. To participate, you must complete our medical questionnaire. Medical care beyond basic first aid, due to the often remote regions visited, is often not immediately available If you have a physical, dietary, or other conditions for which you may desire special attention, please inform us in writing when the booking is made. SeaTrek assumes no responsibility for any medical care provided to you.

Call: +62(0) 361 270 604Enquire: info@seatrekbali.com

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12 superior cabins

Length over all: 36 meters (118 feet)

Beam: 10 meters (33 feet)

Draught: 3.5 meters (11.5 feet)

Rig: Gaff rigged ketch - 600 m2 sails, 2 mains, two tops, three jibs

Cruising speed: 7-10 knots

Maximum speed: 12 knots

International standard Navigation & Safety equipment (with satellite phone)

About SeaTrek Sailing Adventures

Based in Sanur, Bali, SeaTrek is the premiere adventure sailing operator in the Indonesian archipelago. With over

25 years of experience, SeaTrek is the longest established company providing cruises throughout the region. Guests

from all over the world have set foot on one of SeaTrek’s Pinisi-style schooners and experienced the distinctive

beauty and charm of Indonesia’s exotic islands. The company’s vessels have first-rate multilingual tour guides and

are crewed by highly trained stewards and staff. SeaTrek offers a variety of cruises to suit travellers both looking for

adventurous activity, as well as to explore the historical and cultural uniqueness of this corner of the world.