Document Type
Report
Date
Spring 5-1-2026
Abstract
Copy don’t create. Don’t create until you dream.
The Iban women and children spend their time in longhouses creating not only textiles, but community and a legacy. Woven into each piece is generations of knowledge and honor that will persist long after the artist.
The designs of textiles are created by chosen Iban women as they are taught in their dreams. Deities call only to expert weavers to create a novel pattern that will hold their spirit interwoven with the cloth. The creation of new patterns (Tengkebang) is a crucial part of a woman’s identity and is how they acquire generational status for their family.
Designs and skills are passed down through generations of Iban women by master weavers. Until this honor is earned, young women and children are taught to wind thread and copy established designs to hone their skills. The time spent in the longhouse is sacred and creates community that connects to every generation that comes before.
Recommended Citation
Brownlee, Sara, "Pua Kumbu: The Iban Women of Borneo" (2026). Department of Anthropology. 15.
https://ecommons.luc.edu/anthropology_studentpubs/15
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Copyright Statement
©Sara Brownlee, 2026
