噶瑪蘭織布工藝
The Kavalan Weaving Craft

噶瑪蘭香蕉絲織布 / Banana Fiber Fabric

 

香蕉絲織布，是噶瑪蘭族最獨特的織布工藝產物。噶瑪蘭婦女過去除了普遍使用苧麻織布之外，還有以香蕉絲織布的文化傳統。製作方式是摘取尚未結果的香蕉樹莖，分層刮絲、晾曬、分線、捻線接合、繞線，再使用水平式地機織製成布塊。由於香蕉布質感較輕涼平滑防水，過去主要用來製作夏季衣服。1990年代末期，噶瑪蘭正名和文化復振運動積極興起之後，香蕉絲織布則轉換成為特殊而重要的文化象徵符碼。

 

目前博物館保存的早期噶瑪蘭香蕉絲織布文物，大多呈淺褐色，以天然原色香蕉絲交織而成。這些香蕉絲織布雖然無紋飾，但有的質感光滑細緻輕盈，如蟬翼般輕透，呈現極高的工藝水準；有的則用香蕉絲為經線，苧麻線為緯線，製成較厚實而光澤防水的布塊。

 

Banana fiber weaving was one of the most distinctive crafts of the Kavalan people. In the Kavalan weaving tradition, women used ramie fiber to produce woven cloths, which is similar to that of other indigenous groups in Taiwan. However, they also had special skills in extracting banana fiber and weaving banana fabrics. Banana fiber comes from the stalks of the fibrous banana plant. The manual production of banana fiber is a time-consuming process. Initially the stalk is cut from the banana plant and then dried in air to remove the moisture. Layers of skin are scraped off. Stripped fibers are tied and joined to create long continuous threads, which are then twisted and spun into yarns. Finally, a back-strap loom is used to weave the cloths. Given the lightness, satin-like tactility, and moisture-absorbent quality of the banana fabric, the Kavalan often used it to make summer costumes. Since the end of the 1990s, during which the Kavalan descendants were actively engaged in movements of ethnic recognition and cultural revival, banana weaving has become one of the most unique and important cultural symbols of the Kavalan.

 

The old Kavalan banana textiles preserved in museums show that these are natural colored cloths without special woven patterns. However, some of them are very fine, thin, and exude a beautiful silk luster resembling that of a dragonfly’s wings. Some cloths show creative weaving method, that is, banana fibers are used as warp threads, and ramie fibers are used as weft threads.

 

輕薄細緻如蟬翼的香蕉布（BM col.# As.1960.10.467） Banana fabric with fineness quality and with a beautiful silk luster	香蕉絲為經線苧麻為緯線的香蕉布（ROM col.# 915.3.23） Banana fabric with banana fibers as warp threads and ramie fibers as weft threads