Transformation of Womens Leadership Through Natural Dyeing Weaving (Ethnographic Studies on Palue Weavers)
Hendrikus Pedro (a*,b), Koentjoro (a), Sito Meiyanto (a), Budi Andayani (a)

a) Faculty of Psychology Universitas Gadjah Mada, Jalan Sosio Humaniora, Bulak Sumur,Yogyakarta, Indonesia 55281.
*hendrikus.pedro[at]mail.ugm.ac.id.
b). Faculty of Social Sciences Universitas Nusa Nipa, Jalan Kesehatan No 3, Maumere, NTT, Indonesia 86111

Abstract

Culturally, Palue men are leaders and not women. The division of roles based on gender is lived and carried out hereditary. Women weave while men are not allowed to be involved in weaving activities. In 2013 there was an eruption of Rokatenda volcano-Palue and thousands of residents in the danger zone were evacuated from the remote and fertile island of Palue to Hewuli sub-district, which is on the outskirts of the regency of Maumere. The refugees adapted lifestyle that depended on the availability of land into a home industry weaving, because they did not have agricultural land. The purpose of this study was to find an explanation for the transformation process of the Palue female weavers leadership. Ethnographic approach is used in this study. Data collection was carried out for 17 months by directly involved in natural dyeing weaving activities of 15 families of weavers. The results showed that there was a leadership transformation in the Palue weavers families who worked on the natural dyeing weaving. The weavers became the managers in charge of the natural dyeing weaving process involving the husband and children. There has been a cultural change, husbands have started to help dyeing weaving process and are not ashamed to help their wives with work. The leadership of the natural dyeing weaving has an impact on the decision-making process in the family. Weavers are the main decision makers regarding the family economy. At the community level, the weavers become leaders who provide change by forming work organizations from working groups to co-operatives, becoming incubators of the learning process to manage a culture-based tourism business. The transformation of the female weavers leadership occurs naturally through an increase in the competence of weaving which aims to increase income. The increase in income gives the weavers a high bargaining position in making economic decisions within the family. The high bargaining position allows the weavers to influence their husbands and children to take part in the production process. The group work process gives weavers a strong influence on community decision-making.

Keywords: Women leadership, Natural dyeing weaving, Palue Tribe, weavers.

Topic: Women in leadership and decision-making roles