Indigenous Knowledge System in Gringsing Weaving: the Lubeng Motif

Abstract

Gringsing weaving with the Lubeng motif in Tenganan Pegringsingan Traditional Village constitutes a living knowledge system that integrates ecological knowledge, double-ikat technology, motif geometry, cosmology, ritual practices, and customary governance. This study aims to explain the structure and operational mechanisms of the indigenous knowledge system that sustain Gringsing weaving. The study employed a qualitative ethnographic approach from an emic perspective. Data were obtained through in-depth interviews with 12 weavers and customary leaders, participant observation, audiovisual documentation, examination of awig-awig, and supporting archives and literature. Data were analyzed through interactive data reduction and display, domain-taxonomic-cultural-theme analysis, and symbolic interpretation. The findings reveal five interconnected layers of knowledge: material-ecological ethnoclassification, technical knowledge embodied in the body, geometric and symbolic knowledge, ritual-spiritual knowledge, and governance knowledge. At the geometric-symbolic layer, the Lubeng motif displays a configuration of Kalajengking/Teledu, Tapak Dara, Panggal Asu, Surya, Sasih, Cakra, Srigading, and Tridatu as a visual codex that can be read at personal, communal, and cosmological levels. The novelty of this study lies in modeling Gringsing as an indigenous knowledge system rather than merely as a textile product or cultural symbol. The model demonstrates that preservation takes place through the reproduction of relationships among material, body, cosmos, ritual, and community rules.