Irresistible symposium: William Ingram of Threads of Life
William Ingram is co-founder of Threads of Life, a Bali-based social enterprise that has worked with over 1000 traditional weavers and their families in 50 communities on 12 Indonesian islands since 1997. As co-director of the Bebali Foundation since 2002 he has led the organisation’s support for responsible use of natural dyes and other non-timber forest products by these same community groups.
Through his work he seeks to demonstrate how profitable businesses can have a social mission, how community businesses can be profitable, and how both can be sensitive to the values of indigenous culture. Respect and reciprocity characterise indigenous relationships with nonhuman life, and William is interested how traditional pedagogies can help us learn how to reintegrate these values into modern lifestyles. He is studying for a Master’s degree in Ecology, Spirituality and Religion and is author of “A Little Bit One O’clock: Living with a Balinese family”. Born in the UK, he has lived most of his life in Japan and Indonesia.
Willian Ingram will be speaking at our upcoming online symposium, Irresistible to discuss the irresistible nature of resist-dyeing techniques around the world. Irresistible will be held online, on Zoom, on Saturday 8 June at 14:00 BST. Book your tickets on our website here.
William will presenting on Ikat as Resistance: Natural Dyed Ikat vs Modernity in Indonesia. Any Indonesian woman still making natural dyed, traditional ikat textiles is choosing tradition over modernity. When asked why they continue to weave their ancestral motifs using complex and ritually intensive natural dye processes, most will say that continuing their traditions is a responsibility to their mothers and grandmothers. For Lodia Oematan and Aleta Baun of Mollo in Timor, this meant placing their bodies and looms in front of excavators seeking to mine an outcrop sacred to their ancestors. For the people of Tenganan Pegringsingan in Bali and in the face of mass tourism, this means maintaining the youth groups that initiate young people into the village’s mystery school, teaching girls the weaving arts, devotionally maintaining the lifestyle that transmits these traditions, and collectively deciding not to share all that they do with the outside world. For Tamu Rambu Hamu Eti on Sumba, this means teaching her natural dye skills to her five daughters, having sent them all to university. For the rest of us, it means understanding that these textile arts embody a reciprocal relationship with the earth that rejects commodification and shows us all a path towards ecological responsibility.
Irresistible will be held online, on Zoom, on Saturday 8 June at 14:00 BST. Book your tickets on our website here.
Images courtesy of Threads of Life
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