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As the world moves towards more sustainable practices, there is a growing opportunity to encourage traditional weavers in Lumban Suhi Suhi Toruan, one of the weaving centers in Indonesia’s North Sumatra, to adopt sustainable methods. However, this transition comes with its own set of challenges.

The village of Lumban Suhi Suhi Toruan on Samosir Island in Lake Toba may appear picture-perfect with its scenic beauty and rich culture. However, beneath this charm lies the reality of many women who have taken up traditional weaving as the primary source of income for themselves and their families.

Although most families in this village are farmers or fishermen, the traditional weavings produced by the women are their mainstay and economic pressures usually leads to picking the easiest way to make money

Lumban Suhi-Suhi, especially its Hutaraja hamlet, is known as one of the production centers of Ulos, the traditional cloth of the local Batak Toba people made using he laborious Ikat dye resist technique. But economic pressure has slowly shifted production to the easier and faster to make songket, a weaving decorated with the supplementary weft technique.

The majority of weavers there have now even turned to producing Uis Nipes, a customary cloth of the neighboring Batak Karo tribe which is in high demand as weaving is no longer practiced by the Karo farmers.

Economic pressure also brought with it the slow demise of natural dyes and handspun cotton yarns, replace by the much cheaper chemical dyes and synthetic yarns.

To help answer these challenges, the Lithuanian Government working with Toraja Melo Foundation and its business arm, AHANA, have introduced sustainable weaving practices and made available the necessary knowledge not only to open up new markets for their products but also better manage their business and household finance.

Sustainable weaving practices can open up new markets for traditional weavers. Eco-conscious consumers are willing to pay a premium for products that are ethically produced. By adopting sustainable methods, weavers can tap into this growing market, thereby increasing their income and improving their standard of living.

 Additionally, sustainable practices can reduce production costs in the long run, further enhancing economic benefits and can significantly reduce the environmental impact of textile production. 

By using natural dyes, organic fibers, and energy-efficient techniques, weavers can contribute to the conservation of the local environment. This is particularly important in a region like Lake Toba, where the ecosystem is delicate and needs to be protected for future generations.

Sustainable weaving practice will also not only help in preserving the local traditional art form but also attracts tourists who are increasingly seeking authentic and sustainable cultural experiences.

To address one of the primary challenges for traditional weavers to become more sustainable -- access to wider market – weavers were introduced to the AHANA e-commerce platform, to

Lumban Suhi Suhi Toruan is no stranger to tourism, hosting the Hutaraja weaving center and a plethora of occasional and annual cultural events. But tourism has remained stagnant and the village has failed to bloom into the prime bustling tourist destination it aspired to.

Nestled in the scenic embrace of Samosir Island, within the vast expanse of Lake Toba, lies the picturesque village of Lumban Suhi-Suhi Toruan. With its rich cultural tapestry and breathtaking natural beauty, it is a hidden gem poised for tourism success. However, the village's full potential remains untapped due to internal challenges.

A key obstacle is the lack of alignment between the village’ young administrative leadership and the customary elders in a society where social hierarchy remains deep rooted. While the former has initiated promising tourism projects, the latter's support and involvement are crucial for long-term success.

The revamped version of Hutaraja, the hamlet long knowns as a weaving center of Ulos, the traditional woven cloth of the Batak ethnic group in Indonesia’s North Sumatra, was inaugurated by President Joko Widodo on February 2, 2022 as one of island’s prime cultural tourism destinations.

Besides giving a new breath of life to the row of its high-roofed traditional houses, Hutaraja also saw its central open space facing the habitations, called the alaman, turned from a muddy patch in the rainy season and dusty one during the dry season, into a grand paved plaza.  Village women, for most of whom weaving is their primary source of livelihood, work on their backstrap loom in front of their house.

A modern gallery presenting the best of local weavings and crafts, a modern lakeside café and clean public toilets completed he rehabilitation while the rows of local traditional houses around It were refurbished and turned into neat homestays to accommodate visitors.

Under the initiative and leadership of its young village head who sparked all these development, Lumban Suhi-Suhi Toruan also began to hold cultural events to draw more tourists. 

But two years later, Lumban Suhi-Suhi Toruan failed to take off and became a world- tourist destination, or even a national one. Tourism development simply stalled.

Tourism, experience has shown everywhere, should be everyone’s business. Unfortunately, for Lumban Suhi-Suhi Toruan, the local customary leadership do not see eye to eye with the administrative leadership, including in developing tourism.

The Batak people of North Sumatra, have a strong and complex social hierarchy that has historically played a significant role in their society. This hierarchy is primarily based on kinship and descent, with certain lineages and clans holding higher status than others.

Customary elders, a term not necessarily related to age, are seen as the guardians of the village's cultural heritage. They hold the keys to the traditional customs, rituals, and practices that have been passed down through generations. Disobedience carries social