Tais Fetu Ceremonial Sarong

Tais fetu were reserved for women in the families of local rulers and warriors. The supplementary weft wrapping technique (buna) was a revered decorating technique that could easily be mistaken for embroidery. Though they had an extensive trade relationship with China, silk was rarely used in Timor, but it was the perfect material for this method.

This piece would have been tubular and joined at the edges, and worn as a skirt or dress. The deep red ground is densely decorated with polychromatic diamond shapes and other geometric patterns.