Montagnard weavers H Ju Nie and H Nach Rahlan show their work to Laverne Waddington, Maurice Blackburn, and Lisa Matthews in August. Sharing technical information helps validate and preserve the weaving traditions of the Montagnards.
Lisa is fascinated with Ju Nie's giant sword. Ngach Rahlan's weaving- in-progress is in the foreground.
Ngach Rahlan demonstrates how a Jarai skirt is worn.
Ju Nie invites her guests to watch her warp a new loom.
Lisa tries her hand at Ju's warp. Keeping the tension consistent is critical at this stage.
Although Ju speaks limited English, Laverne easily follows Ju's instructions on how to move the warped thread onto the loom. Laverne finds Ju's warping technique and backstrap loom very similar to the South American weaving she learned in Bolivia and Peru, with some noted exceptions.
Laverne easily takes to Ju's loom after it is set up. Ju sets up the foot brace used by weavers to keep the tension right.
Ju steadies the shed rod while Laverne has the backstrap wrapped around her.
Ju is impressed by Laverne's skill in keeping the tension tight and edges straight.
Lisa enjoys using the loom so much that she orders one from Ju's husband afterwords!
Betsy and Laverne compare photos and research on backstrap weaving from the Central Highlands of Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Learning directly from the looms of the women that continue to weave is our primary resource. To make sure that the unique processes we learn are widely understood within an English speaking audience we (Laverne and Betsy) compare our research with other weavers, collectors, historians, and artists from around the world via the internet.
