Peppered around the Flores Archipelago in Indonesia are a number of villages where Ikat Textile weaving is part of everyday village life, and most easily seen by crewed yacht charter. These are villages at the base of volcanoes on various islands where every day life is as it has been for centuries. Without regular ferry systems, these villages are best visited by crewed yacht charter.
Visit Watublapi Village on crewed yacht charter in the Flores Archipelago in Indonesia to see firsthand a fabulous demonstration of Ikat Textile weaving by the villagers of Watublapi, wearing their village Ikat designs captured here in this pictorial review. This is an extraordinary chance to see an age old weaving tradition, done by hand on hand made looms, in villages rarely visited except by crewed charter yachts.
Yacht Charter; a warm welcome on charter yacht Silolona
Boarding the 164’ sailing Phinisi charter yacht Silolona is a warm welcoming experience for a start to every on board yacht charter cruise. Step on board and be greeted with a cooling lemon grass scented wash cloth to wash away the travel heat and be refreshed with a tall cool glass of fresh fruit juice, while you settle in on deck for a welcome from your crew. On your arrival for your yacht charter cruise all of the crew gather on deck to be introduced to you to start your yacht charter cruise with traditional Indonesian music and songs, for a great kick off for a terrific yacht charter experience on board the sailing Phinisi charter yacht Silolona.
Crewed charter sailing Phinisi Silolona under sail
Centuries ago, the precursor to the Indonesian Phinisi sailing ship, of which the crewed charter yacht Silolona chartering now in the waters of Indonesia, is a distant relative, plied the waters of the Malay Archipelago or “Spice Islands” including the Banda Islands and Timor Island, laden with spices. Along the spice trading routes the people from this area sailed as far and wide as China and the Middle East trading exotic spices such as cloves and nutmegs for exotic goods such as gold, silver, china, feathers and beads. Sailing along this ancient trading route from the Spice Islands to China and the Middle East brought vessels right past the southern end of Sulawesi Island, where boat building grew up as an industry that is still in practice today. The crewed sailing charter yacht Silolona available for charter in Indonesia, Myanmar and Andaman, including through the fabled Spice Islands was built on the southern coast of Sulawesi by the Konjo Boat Builders who have been building boats in this area on the beaches for centuries.
Yacht Charter Indonesia, Using Natural Dyes in the Ikat Textile Weaving Villages in Eastern Flores
Ikat Textile Weaving, dye colors and the sources
Visiting the textile villages of Eastern Flores Indonesia is really best done by crewed yacht charter, as there is only a small local ferry system in this area visiting just a few ports. The crewed sailing yacht Silolona is available for crewed yacht charter in Eastern Indonesia and in our opinion, here at Northrop and Johnson Yacht Charters, sailing on the crewed charter yacht Silolona is the best and possibly only way to visit the various local Ikat Textile weaving villages in the Eastern Flores Archipelago, where the women are still very much involved in traditional Ikat Textile weaving by hand as a part of their daily lives. When cruising through the area on the crewed sailing charter yacht Silolona, a number of villages can be visited that are clustered on the various islands where dyeing, spinning, and weaving cotton fibers is still done with dyes made from natural ingredients, with cotton spun by hand, to create textiles woven by hand on hand made looms. The dyeing however is an exceptional traditional village industry with dye recipes handed down from mother to daughter to create the many colors of the fabric of life in this area of Indonesia. We were thrilled when visiting several villages in Eastern Indonesia in the Eastern Flores Archipelago while cruising on board the 164’ crewed charter sailing yacht Silolona to see, first hand, the making of natural dyes and the dyeing process used to color these hand spun cotton strands.
Ikat Textile Weaving, dyeing red, yellow, and green cotton strands with natural dyes
We learned that all of the dyes are generally now and always have been made from ingredients found in the surrounding landscape, as the only resource available to these village people for the last number of centuries and still today. Many of the women in the villages in Indonesia in the Eastern Flores and Alor Island areas are still making various dyes to dye strands of cotton as they have been for centuries.
Cotton is grown and harvested in Indonesia and the women in the villages work the cotton bolls, so that the cotton bolls are seeded, carded and spun by hand into cotton strands for weaving. Either the strands are dyed various colors first or are tied with dye resistant natural fibers such as raffia to create Ikat patterns in the cotton strands, to then be dyed.
Ikat Textile Weaving making natural blue indigo dye
The predominant color used for the natural dyes is blue with various shades of blue created from the locally grown indigo plant. Natural indigo dye for the various shades of blue is created by a fermentation process over low heat, usually in a pot over a small wood fire. The indigo plant is mixed with natural madder from the roots of a low growing ground vine, grains, and soda ash, made from the ash of leaves. By slowly cooking all together in a pot on low heat while gently stirring, a sludge of oxidized indigo is created on the bottom of the pot, which is strained and used or dried and stored as dye cakes to be used at a later time. When dyeing, the indigo blue color is adhered to the cotton strands by drying the strands each time after repeated dipping to allow the color to oxidize in the air for permanent color affixation.
The color red is created by crushing the bark of the Marinda tree in water to extract a red pigment called morindan. Unlike indigo blue, which is a fermentation process, dying red requires a mordant to be combined with the morindan to affix the color to the strands of cotton. A mordant requires oil, tannin and aluminum salts and in Indonesia is often created with an oily solution made out of the candle nut, a tannin made from local plants, and aluminum salts made from the powdered leaves and bark of certain trees that grow in Indonesia at a very high level. For use in the lowland villages, the powdered leaves and bark of these highland growing trees must be acquired in trade.
Ikat Textile Weaving, creating natural yellow dye from tumeric
Yellow dye can be created by pounding the turmeric root with water in a mortar with the end of a small tree trunk or pestle. Green dye can be created by pounding leaves with water in a mortar for a fresh green color created from the chlorophyll. Neither of these dyes produces a color that is steadfast and both the yellow and green cotton strands dyed from dyes made in this manner will fade in a short matter of time.
Ikat Textile Weaving, green natural dye from leaves
To create a more permanent yellow dye, the bark from the mango tree, jack fruit tree and heartwood tree are pounded to create a more durable yellow color. This dye can then be mixed with an indigo blue for a more permanent green color.
Ikat Textile Weaving, warp weaving multi colored textile with Ikat designs
Whatever the method the women in a particular village choose to use, this fascinating and still traditional industry of cotton dyeing can be seen firsthand in various villages on a yacht charter on the crewed sailing yacht Silolona on a charter in the Eastern Flores Archipelago in Indonesia while visiting the Ikat Textile weaving villages.
Yacht Charter, Crewed Charter Sailing Yacht Silolona and the call to sail
Charter Yacht Silolona
The 164’ Phinisi crewed charter sailing yacht Silolona is wrapped in legend and shrouded in mystique, which adds to the magic of a charter experience on board. For, just as the in the legend of Silolona, for whom the yacht is named, when starting a charter on this yacht, a call is made to Silolona to add her strength to a successful on board charter experience.
Goris, Dive Instructor on board the crewed charter sailing yacht Silolona makes the call to the spirit of the legendary Silolona
Yacht Charter; Silolona and Volcanoes, Volcanoes, Volcanoes
Silolona and Volcano Ile Ape on the island of Lembata in Indonesia
As one of the few Indonesian flag yachts available for crewed yacht charter, Silolona offers charters throughout the extensive cruising area of eastern Indonesia which is not only fascinating and beautiful, but the location of more active volcanoes than any other location in the world, and the location of some of the most world famous volcanoes. If volcanoes are your thing, or pique your inquiring mind with unanswered questions, or are just awe inspiring, then you should consider a charter on board the charter yacht Silolona in eastern Indonesia for the rare chance to experience volcanoes up front and personal.
With miles of deserted remote and isolated beaches everywhere, experiencing a natural beach spa exfoliating treatment to reveal beautiful soft skin is available at the drop of a hat while on board the 164’ Phinisi charter yacht Silolona on a crewed yacht charter in eastern Indonesia, Myanmar and the Andaman Islands. Sooth skin and exfoliate on an isolated beach, sitting in the sand with warm water lapping at your ankles, using your choice of natural body scrubs to scrub your skin to a healthy glow. After absorbing the myriad of benefits from the various scrubs, just slip into the warm crystal clear blue green waters right at your feet, and let the salt water naturally rinse the scrub residuals away to reveal your new soft beautiful skin. It is hard to beat this natural spa experience on the beach and beautiful waters offered while on board a crewed yacht charter on the charter yacht Silolona.
Welcoming Silolona Crew to a Silolona Beach Barbecue
Charter the 164’ Phinisi sailing yacht Silolona for a crewed yacht charter in Indonesia, Myanmar or the Andaman Islands and you might find yourselves on an isolated beautiful beach, in the middle of nowhere, at a full scale barbecue beach bash, complete with dinner, drinks, music, fire dancing, and wishing balloons all under the light from the moon, and fire candles. With a natural setting for a purely natural eco-friendly extravaganza, a Silolona barbecue beach bash, while on charter, is not only a truly memorable experience, but also a remarkable feat, hard to be replicated, accomplished by the hard working terrific crew on the charter yacht Silolona.
Yacht Charter Silolona on board cuisine, a Culinary Delight
Fresh Ingredients for Yudha's Sambal
On a recent cruise on board the 164’ charter yacht Silolona, here at Northrop and Johnson Yacht Charters, we were treated to a constant array of outstanding meals, one right after the other. The on board cuisine is international with a great Asian flair and varies from sticky black rice with coconut milk to homemade fresh flaky croissants to crispy pan fried duck breast and scallops. Beautiful fresh fish, fruits and vegetables are readily available, with sushi being an on board favorite, and fresh fruit drinks, and homemade jams in constant supply. A charter cruise on Silolona is an outstanding experience, which is further highlighted with excellent on board cuisine.
Yacht Charter; Silolona, Experience a Taste of Indonesia on board
Silolona - Antique Bronze Drum
Not only is Silolona, a 164’ sailing yacht available for crewed yacht charter in Indonesia, built new along the traditional lines of the age old Indonesian Phinisi, the yacht is beautifully decorated throughout with antiques, artifacts, textiles, beadwork, wood carvings, painted panels, statues, and basketry, all gathered from traditional village life, along with extraordinary shells, all gathered from the beaches of this outstanding charter location. With a Masters Degree in Indonesian Textiles, the Owner of Silolona has immersed herself for decades in the culture and artistry of Indonesia traveling through the various villages, all of which is reflected on board. The shells have been picked up through years of visiting the many beaches throughout this charter location. While you may only be able to visit one area on your crewed yacht charter when on board the charter yacht Silolona enjoying a charter cruise in the waters of this vast and exceptional country, spending time on board Silolona will give you a taste of everything that is the fabric of Indonesian life.
