When the sun begins to dip behind the hills of Bima, the click-clack of wooden looms fills the air. Mothers sit side by side, chatting as their hands move in perfect rhythm. Children run across the dusty yard, clutching rolls of colorful thread like tiny treasures. For many in Ntobo—a small village in West Nusa Tenggara—this scene is no longer a picture of survival but of pride. The soft hum of weaving that once echoed through their homes has become the heartbeat of a new economy. The bright natural dyes give the fabric a charm of its own (Photo: efenerr) At the center of this quiet revolution stands Yuyun Ahdiyanti, a mother of three whose determination turned a fading tradition into a source of strength and recognition. Weaving the threads of change Five years ago, Ntobo was struggling. Generations of weavers had poured their hearts into Tembe Nggoli, the handwoven sarong unique to Bima, but their art barely paid the bills. Middlemen bought their fabrics cheaply, ...
making words tack to tick