PELANGI CLOTH

Based on social customs, a pelangi (rainbow) shoulder cloth, like this one, is worn by women attending ceremonial occasions. It is made using a tie dye technique where, the material is tied in a certain manner, before it is dipped into the dye. The dimensions and kinds of motifs that result from this technique depend on how the material is tied and how it is dipped. Should, for instance, only the tip of the tied cloth be dipped into the dye, the motif will be small. Conversely, if large parts of the cloth are dipped into the dye, the resulting motif will appear bigger. Pelangi shoulder cloth, from Palembang, is always created with the use of bright, contrasting colors, namely red, purple, orange, yellow, and green. The body of this shoulder cloth is decorated with star motifs as well as garlands of flowers, while the head part is adorned with leaves.