Kain Ina Ndao

The fish motif in woven cloth symbolizes the main source of livelihood and food for people in areas such as Alor and Ternate. Most of the residents in this area depend on marine products for their livelihood as well as a source of daily protein. The lives of fishermen who are very close to the sea are reflected in this motif, illustrating their inseparable closeness and dependence on the sea.
The fish motif also represents the main type of meat consumed by the people of Ternate. Almost every day, they eat fresh fish in various preparations such as fish in sour sauce, grilled fish or grilled fish as a source of protein for the Ternate generation. The types of fish immortalized in the woven motifs also vary, according to the fishermen's catches.
When people wear fish-patterned cloth, it seems as if the fish are swimming on land through the clothes they wear. Now, fish motifs have been processed into modern clothing with extraordinary combinations, appearing in the form of office clothes, skirts, hats, bags and various other accessories (Aulia Rachman Siregar, 2018).