By: Elsa Ayu Friska (KAoem MUda) and Agetha Lestari
Every strand of braid that the indigenous women make contains more than just mere beauty. Each contains the wisdom of the ancestors, the connection between humans and nature, and the diligence in surviving amid the pressure that the modern era brings.
A woman is lifting young Kolosua leaves as the materials for making braided products.
Picture by Elsa Ayu Friska, 2025
On August 9 lies the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (HIMAS), making it an important moment to remember that the Indigenous Peoples are more than just remnants of the past, but also the vanguard of protectors of forest, water, land, and culture: They are the guardians of the sustainability that the Earth today is.
One part of the story comes from Wawonii Island, Konawe Island Regency, Southeast Sulawesi. Here in this humble island, the indigenous women are protecting the tradition and family economy through Kolosua, a type of forest pandan leaf that they braid as a handcraft with patience and love.
However, Kolosua is more than just a handfcraft: It is an ecological heritage. Locals pick the pandan leaves from the forest and swamp selectively and seasonally, so that the leaves’ regeneration remains sustainable. They then dry the leaves, soften them, and then braid them for days.
In the past, the community used Kolosua leaves for their daily activities such as farming and traditional ceremony. Nowadays, thanks to the support of the community and digital advertisement, Kolosua contains economical values and supports the life of the craftspeople.
However, such harmony becomes frail with each passing day. The expanding nickel mining in Wawonii continues to destroy the forest, contaminate the water, and restrict the access to the indigenous regions. For the craftswomen in Tumbu-Tumbu Jaya Village, this is more than just a loss of the main materials but also a threat that may erase the knowledge that they inherit from generations to generations.
Tumbu-Tumbu Jaya is known as the ‘paradise of Kolosua.’ Pandan leaves grow naturally in the vast swamp area without the need to cultivate it. Kolosua to them is more than just the source of economy power, but also an important part of their identity and ecosystem. If the forest is gone, then all the sources of welfare and history attached to it will also disappear.
The journey of Kolosua leaves from the swamp to the house
Crafting Kolosua braided products is no small tasks. It all starts with choosing the right stem.
The community usually harvest Kolosua leaves that are young and have dark green color because the fiber inside are strong and flexible, thus making them durable when braided. Even the stems that they select must be lengthy and large enough to create a quality craftsmanship.
Dried Kolosua leaves become the symbol of pride and heritage of Wawonii Island Indigenous Peoples.
Picture by Elsa Ayu Friska, 2025
After the community harvest the Kolosua leaves, they then sun-dry the stems under the sunlight until they’re fully dried out. This is an important step to ensure that the stems become easier to process. Once the stems are dry, they proceed to clean up the stems, then slice them in half, and roll them into a giant roll. This particular roll shoudl be kept for approximately one week to make each strand of the leaf straightened up and ready to braid.
All the aforementioned processes are done manually without using any modern machinery and only utilizing simple tools they inherit across generations.
Women as the guardians of the tradition and the drive for the family economy
In Tumbu-Tumbu Jaya Village, almost every woman, including mothers, has the skill to braid the Kolosua leaves. This is an activity that they usually do after working at the farm or during free time. Braiding is more than just something they do to kill time, but is now part of their identity and contribution towards the family economy.
Among those women is Irmawati, a housewife who has been doing this craftsmanship for over a decade. From her humble house, Irmawati can produce between 15 to 20 braided products per month. The products that she produce are also quite diverse, ranging from rugs, sajadah, bags, to kitchenware.
Miss Irmawati is braiding Kolosua leaves to make a product.
Picture by Elsa Ayu Friska, 2025
“If I’m diligent enough, I can produce more than 20 products a month. But sometimes, it all comes down to the weather as well, because the sun-drying process of the Kolosua leaves must be absolutely dry under the sunlight,” Irmawati said while showing a stack of her craftsmanship.
She then sells her products to other people from the neighboring villages or collected by a number of collectors who then deliver the products to the markets in Kendari or other cities in Southeast Sulawesi. The prices for the products also vary, starting from Rp50.000 up to Rp200.000, depending on their size and color. Irmawati also accepts special orders from customers who desire a particular design or size.
“All these braided products help a lot, especially if there’s no harvest season at the field,” she adds.
Protecting the nature, preserving the heritage
Amid the modernization and the economical pressure that many villages are facing, the existence of Kolosua leaves and this braiding tradition become proof that nature and local wisdom can coexist and strengthen each other. Villagers are harvesting Kolosua collectively, protecting its natural growth to preserve it.
This craftsmanship deserves more attention from the government or those who care toward the culture and economy of the Indigenous Peoples. Supports like training for designing and digital marketing, as well as strengthening village cooperatives can broaden the market and improving the craftspeople’s welfare.
From a humble village on the edge of Southeast Sulawesi, Kolosua brings about a message of diligence, independence, and love towards nature. In every strand of the braid crafted by the women in Tumbu-Tumbu Jaya Village, lies a story about womanhood, the land, and the future.
A variety of products created from Kolosua leaves.
Picture by Elsa Ayu Friska, 2025
On the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, we are once again reminded of how protecting the nature is inseparable from the fights to defend the land and culture. Kolosua proves that life can go hand-in-hand with the nature to support each other’s daily life.
We bring this story to celebrate HIMAS, as a reminder that protecting the culture and nature are the most meaningful forms of resistance amid the ever-changing world. A heritage is not only something to remember, but also to live in and inherit.
*This article is a collaboration between Kaoem Telapak and Elsa Ayu Friska, KAoem MUda from Southeast Sulawesi
