Gender, Globalization and Marketing: Timor Tais (traditional cloth)
Weaving Project
(revised 23 October 2002)

Timor Aid NGO trains "tais" weavers from Suai.

Under the regional project Gender, Globalization and Marketing, a small initiative has been developed to assist the NGO, Timor Aid to upgrade the production of traditional textiles in East Timor. The traditional cloths of East Timor, known collectively as Tais, are produced on simple backstrap looms that limit the width and length of the cloth and also productivity. UNIFEM is working with Timor Aid, which has an established programme to support quality control and marketing in six districts, to upgrade this weaving technology and the quality of the product in order to access niche markets offering higher prices to the women for their labour.

UNIFEM will fund a team from Thailand to train Timorese men from the districts of Suai, Same and Oecussi to build Thai-style upright looms with a flying shuttle. Women weavers from Thailand will train Timorese women in the use of these new looms.

The UNIFEM National Committee in Australia has provided funds for this activity.

An honorarium recently received by Mrs Kofi Annan has also been donated to this activity.

Note: visit the virtualTais of Timor Museum to see a range of East Timorese textiles, and read about these cloths.