[Kristin]

The primary materials required to make ulos was generally the same; it was a type of thread made from cotton. Later on, this thread was available without having to be weaved. What distinct one ulos to another is the making process. The difficulty of the ulos's making process will be the deciding factor of the ulos's value.

To give the ulos color, a type of plant called salaon is immersed inside a soil pot filled with water. The plant is immersed in the water for days until the sap is gone. It is then squeezed and the waste is thrown away. The result is a black-bluish liquid that is called “itom".

The soil pot (palabuan) is first filled with rainwater that is caught in a hollow stone (naek ni nanturge), and then it is mixed with enough lime water. Then, the bluish-black liquid is mixed until it is dissolved (manggaru). Only then is the thread dipped in the bluish-black water.

Before the thread is dripped, it is beforehand divided (mamutik) and then wound with plant fibers. Now this wounding is no longer practiced with plant fibers, but with a type of rope instead. The lump of thread that was divided is then dipped in different parts according to the desired color. This dipping process (mangatip) is then repeated.



This process takes a long time, ranging from months to even years. When the desired color is achieved, the thread is then mixed with mud water and gray water, and then cooked until it is boiled and looks shiny (marsigira).  This is usually done in the morning at the riverbed or at the edge of a river or lake.

A red color can be made by using the roots of a Moni tree (bangkudu). When the desired color is well-done enough, the lump of thread is then opened to be soaked so that the thread is strong and shiny. The thread is immersed inside a pot filled with rice so that the rice can seep to the thread. After it is done, the thread is dried.

The dried threads are then rolled (dihul-hul.) Every type of color is rolled so that it forms a ball. After the roll has every type of color that is needed, the next step is to "mangani”, or to weave.

After the weaving process is done, both ends of the ulos is lubricated with starch water. It is then made into a fabric with various motifs named gorga “manirat”. In Sipirok, ulos is also often made using beads.

It is due to this difficult making process that ulos has such a high artistic value. The more difficult the making process, the higher its artistic value. Because it requires a lot of precision and weaving expertise, a beginner who just began weaving is only allowed to make a parompa ulos also known as "mallage" (the ulos used to carry children).

The difficulty in making process of an ulos is measured from the number of fabrics required to make the desired motifs. The peak difficulty in weaving is when the weaver uses seven fabrics (marsipitu lidi). When someone achieves this, he or she is then considered able to weave every  kind of Batak ulos.




Article Source: http://artscraftindonesia.com/e/