The Ninth Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art

81 ARTISTS Top: Jaki-ed weaving workshop, Majuro, Marshall Islands, September 2017 / Photograph: Christine Germano Below: Participants in the Jaki-ed weaving workshop; from back left: Susanta Jieta, Rosie Elmorey, Clantine Moladrik, Roselee Jibon, Moje Kelen, Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner, Susan Jieta, Terse Timothy and Mela Kattil, Aileen Sefiti, Motdrik Paul, Banithe Jesse, Artina Clarence, Helmera Fandino and Airine Keju / Photograph: Chewy Lin / Images courtesy: Photographers and University of the South Pacific Majuro Campus Artina Clarence | Born circa 1989, Aur atoll, Marshall Islands Rosie Elmorey | Born circa 1980, Ailinglaplap atoll, Marshall Islands Helmera Fandino | Born circa 1985, Ailinglaplap atoll, Marshall Islands Banithe Jesse | Born circa 1987, Namu atoll, Marshall Islands Roselee Jibon | Born circa 1990, Mili atoll, Marshall Islands Susan Jieta | Born circa 1972, Mejit atoll, Marshall Islands Susanta Jieta | Born circa 1985, Ailinglaplap atoll, Marshall Islands Mela Kattil | Born unknown, Arno atoll, Marshall Islands Airine Keju | Born circa 1977, Mejit atoll, Marshall Islands Moje Kelen | Born circa 1986, Jaluit atoll, Marshall Islands Clantine Moladrik | Born circa 1965, Aur atoll, Marshall Islands Motdrik Paul | Born circa 1978, Ailinglaplap atoll, Marshall Islands Terse Timothy | Born circa 1946, Ailinglaplap atoll, Marshall Islands The 13 women who gathered in a weaving hut in the Republic of the Marshall Islands to create the exquisite series of jaki-ed mats, commissioned for APT9, are considered expert weavers. The opportunity to feature in an international exhibition is more an act of service to their country and their families than the fulfilment of any personal aspirations. If you asked them why they weave, you would hear of the hopes they have to support their children to be well educated and equipped to face new challenges in the world, and about the deep love that inspires them to ensure their culture continues to thrive amid mounting obstacles. You would feel the abundant joy, fulfilment and comfort found in spending long hours creating and learning among friends, and you would sense their need to keep learning, relishing the opportunity to collaborate with others, to test new designs, refine their practice and produce ever-finer work. In the Republic of the Marshall Islands, this spirit of humility and resilience reaches far beyond the weaving hut. At many times in the nation’s history, its citizens have endured calamities often brought about by forces beyond their control. As the far-reaching implications of nuclear testing, militarism, rising sea levels, forced migration, and economic adaptation continue to threaten the idyllic shores of this expanse of coral atolls, the spirit of the land and its people characterises a powerful voice in global discourses, not least through the work of its artists. Jaki-ed or nieded mats are among the finest examples of weaving in Oceania, and the techniques used to create them conform to sacred cultural principles. Made from pandanus fibres, the mats were originally created as clothing and woven solely by women. The practice of jaki-ed weaving almost disappeared when trade cloth was introduced, but disruptions in shipments during World War Two prompted its revival. In 2011, a new apprenticeship program supported weavers to learn the art form within the traditional dynamic of a weaving circle, where women could exchange cultural values and knowledge. To ensure the practice survives, a growing number of weavers and community leaders are committed to advancing the quality and social relevance of jaki-ed weaving, both locally and internationally. From a young age, Marshallese girls are encouraged not just to copy, but to innovate, using the skills they learn through any creative practice. Jaki-ed are always woven from the centre outwards, but the design of each mat is different. The plain centre is a symbol of the purity of heart and soul that must be at the core of any personal endeavour. Intricate geometric borders distinguish each mat as expressions of the weaver’s ancestry and a manifestation of the belief that, in this matrilineal society, women possess unique creative attributes. The quality of a woman’s mat is often expressed as the measure of her beauty and character: ‘What kind of a woman is she? Let’s see how she weaves'. Like handwriting, a mat’s design can reveal an artist’s identity — or their island of origin — among their fellow weavers, and diligent care is taken to ensure that each band of the border has no perceptible beginning or end, symbolising the endless and unbreakable bond that an individual has with their community and ancestry. Ruha Fifita JAKI-ED PROJECT