Integration of non-timber forest products and local culture in weaving practices and fabric motifs in Wajo District, Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract. Nuraeni S, Sadapotto A, Ferlin, Prastiyo A. 2025. Integration of non-timber forest products and local culture in weaving practices and fabric motifs in Wajo District, Indonesia. Asian J For 9: 153-165. Traditional woven fabrics are a cultural heritage that holds symbolic, social, and ecological values ??in Indonesian society. Wajo District in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, is renowned as one of the centers of traditional sarong and weaving, which strongly upholds local cultural values. However, modernisation of materials and changes in market preferences pose challenges to the sustainability of weaving practices and the utilisation of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs). This study aims to examine the integration of NTFPs into the production process of sarongs and weavings, and to understand the cultural significance of the motifs and materials used in these products. This research was conducted from June to July 2023 in two main locations, Tosora Village in Majauleng Sub-district and Pakkana Village in Tanasitolo Sub-district, both located in Wajo District, South Sulawesi Province. The study population consisted of five silk shops and 29 traditional weavers who were actively involved in sarong production in both villages. The methods employed include literature studies, direct observation, and visual documentation of the traditional sarongs and weavings produced. The results show that 14 sarongs/weavings use natural silk (Bombyx mori), 13 use viscose, and three are made of polyester. The selection of these materials is influenced by social status, material availability, and cultural values. The motifs found reflect the philosophy of life of the Bugis people, such as social status, marriage, and the relationship between humans and nature. The study concludes that although traditional motifs remain visually preserved, the practice of natural dyeing using NTFPs has largely disappeared, with all weavers relying exclusively on synthetic dyes, indicating a significant loss of traditional ecological knowledge and a disconnection from local natural resources.

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