SidemenSidemen

Sidemen is a hilly district of Karangasem Regency in east Bali, with terraced rice fields stepping down into the valley and Mount Agung visible in the distance on clear days. Sidemen village is also known as one of Bali's weaving centres, and in many homes the sound of the loom is part of daily life. Two main kinds of cloth are woven here. Endek, an ikat cloth for everyday wear, is made by tying the threads to a pattern and dyeing them before weaving. Songket, with supplementary gold or silver threads woven into it, is worn for life-cycle ceremonies such as tooth filing, weddings and holy days. Sidemen weaving is known for dense motifs and varied colours, with local patterns such as cempaka, celedan, cepuk and nagasari.