page_title: Balinese textiles
section_title: Polèng
hierarchical_section_title: Balinese textiles / Polèng
caption_attribution_description: English: At a purification ceremony in Kuta, 2009. Baris dancer's in poleng performed a dance to overcome malign spirits
context_page_description: Balinese textiles are reflective of the historical traditions of Bali. Bali has been historically linked to the major courts of Java before the 10th century; and following the defeat of the Majapahit kingdom, many of the Javanese aristocracy fled to Bali and the traditions were continued. Bali therefore may be seen as a repository not only of its own arts but those of Java in the pre-Islamic 15th century. Any attempt to definitively describe Balinese textiles and their use is doomed to be incomplete. The use of textile is a living tradition and so is in constant change. It will also vary from one district to another. For the most part old cloth are not venerated for their age. New is much better. In the tropics cloth rapidly deteriorates and so virtue is generated by replacing them.
context_section_description: Polĺèng cloth are the black and white checkered pattern seen almost everywhere. Polèng refers to the black and white squares and not the material from which it is made or if it is woven or printed. Most of the printed cloth comes from Java, but there are still weavers in Bali who produce hand woven polèng for special applications.
  A frequent use of Polèng is as a wrapper for sacred trees, rocks, and shrines.
caption: A Baris polèng dancers resting before a performance, Kuta 2009
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