![\"blanket](\"https:\/\/prod.wp.cdn.aws.wfu.edu\/sites\/417\/2014\/11\/blanket-webx.png\")
This Iban ceremonial textile, known as pua kumbu<\/i>, was made in the town of Kapit, in Sarawak, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo.\u00a0 The Iban people, known as the Sea Dayak during British colonial rule, are the largest ethnic group in the state of Sarawak.<\/p>\n
Most pua kumbu <\/i>are woven on back-strap looms by women.\u00a0 The decorative pattern is created by Ikat dying, a tie-dying process during which the individual threads are dyed before being woven. \u00a0This pattern contains human-like figures known as engkaramba<\/i>.\u00a0 In the past, these powerful figures could only be woven by wives and daughters of chiefs.\u00a0 They are representations of deities in the Iban\u2019s shamanistic religion and can offer protection from danger.\u00a0 The act of weaving is a deeply spiritual undertaking that establishes an Iban weaver\u2019s womanhood and status.\u00a0 Specific patterns like this one are often passed down from mother to daughter.<\/p>\n
Pua kumbu<\/i> translates as \u201cgrand blanket;\u201d however, the pieces are very rarely used as sleeping blankets.\u00a0 Pua kumbu<\/i> are recognized as sacred cloths throughout Iban mythology, dictating their use in rituals and ceremonies.\u00a0 In one creation myth, the pua kumba<\/i> already existed at the beginning of time, and the first man and woman were brought to life by the Ancient God underneath it.<\/p>\n
Although the cloths maintain these historic connections to shamanism, now the textiles also serve as a symbol of indigenous identity, separating the Iban from the majority Muslim Malay population.<\/p>\n
Other objects from Malaysia that have been featured for Artifact of the Month include a Mandau sword<\/a> and a spinning top<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This Iban ceremonial textile, known as pua kumbu, was made in the town of Kapit, in Sarawak, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. Click the link to learn more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":201,"featured_media":2906,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"overlay_title":false,"hide_featured_image_post":false,"wfu_hide_page_title":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2905","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-artifacts"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n