Dances with Looms

Whenever he weaves, he does not speak. When he does rise to speak, the ‘weaver sickness’ bursts out: there is so much to talk about.

Weaving is rhythm and movement. That plays into his hands. Herman Kühebacher is a man of calm rhythm. His big, wide feet know exactly what they are doing when they are treading the six pedals of the “Schaftwebstuhl” loom. It is like a dance with an open ending. Sometimes it flows smoothly, sometimes there are hiccups… But one thing is always clear to Herman while he’s weaving: He is the only director here. “Life is a lottery. Here in my workshop everything is clearly arranged. I know what is happening and why it is happening.”
Up until the 19th century the profession of weaver was widespread and highly regarded. Today, Herman Kühebacher is the odd man out. He has this to say about himself: “I am an incredibly chaotic person, but when I am weaving I give orderliness absolute priority.” This includes sitting up straight, “otherwise you will break your back really fast”. He doesn’t philosophise, nor does he wander from the subject. You can tell that the first topic he talks about is the one important thing in his life. Fate, as he calls it “sometimes holds the most unexpected twists in store.” A few years ago his wife, Evi, died of breast cancer. Ever since then, his work was the one thing that has been holding his days together.
His workshop is situated at the center of Niederdorf. A small shop, divided by big windows. The two looms can be seen behind those windows. A strong scent is in the air. “Camphor,” he explains “I spread pieces of camphor around the workshop, it’s great against moths and insects.”
Every day he rides his bike for about 7 km from Welsberg (where he lives) to open his shop in Niederdorf. He wears white pants in a light fabric and a gray shirt. His work day in the workshop usually starts before 7.30 AM.

Herman Kühebacher does most of his weaving with linen and wool.

Weaving is power, weaving is patience
Herman Kühebacher is the second of 5 children. He grew up in Innichen. His mother was a teacher, his father was a linguist. Is this why he is so resourceful? His skill, his discretion, his sense of community – all mixed with a healthy dose of selfishness. “You have got to be patient. Some people say weaving is a sort of meditation.” He laughs. He has been the tanned captain of the loom ship for over 23 years now. He holds the strings, hangs them, he crosses them and even interloops them sometimes. Making mistakes is part of the process.
“Weaving can be incredibly dull and monotonous at times. You must be ok with doing the same thing over and over again for a long period of time.” But… meditation? The 56 year old prefers calling it contentment. Also, sometimes it simply is not possible to jump into work. This is what he loves about being self employed. On those days he packs his bagpipes, turns the sign on his shop to the side that says “be right back”, hops on his bicycle and rides it to the Mooser Kirchl shop, where he plays his bagpipe for a while. He is a jack-of-all-trades. A singer, a bagpipe player, a flutist. He is one of the founding members of the band ”Titlá”. He taught himself how to play various instruments, refusing to ever go to a school to learn. He walks his own path. He does not have a driver’s license, nor does he have a television. “I’m a left-winger”, that is what he calls himself, and he just keeps asking himself: What kind of society do we live in?

The profession of weaver was highly regarded and wide spread up until the 19th century.  Today Herman Kühebacher is the odd man out.

The freelancer
Self-determined is a great word to describe Herman. He knows what movement is needed, and when it is needed. When he’s weaving, he’s directing. He is coordinating threads, hands and feet. Herman is very focused when he works on his 2 meter wide “Schaftwebstuhl” loom. The spools are loaded with threads to create 60 meters of towel. He has just discovered audio books. He loves working with a good one in the background. To him, weaving is a “barefaced freedom” – because the guild just does not exist anymore. And because the weaver from Niederdorf does not have to fear and competitors. “Weaving, as I do it, is quite literally handicraft.” He is proud to do a job that has been around for over 2000 years. It gives him a sense of peace.
The loom is a simple machine, made up of wooden elements. Herman builds spare parts himself, whenever needed. He’s the lord of the twines. There are no employees. He does not care to use a computer, because he fears it would make him too dependent. There are no doubts here: he wants to live this life. Exactly this life. He does not mind the fact that weavers are regarded as impoverished. “Living a life like this is pure luxury to me. Even though my business consultant says that from a purely economic point of view, it is never going to be profitable.” There does not be a reason, there only needs to be a decision. The rhythm has to be right. The beat has to be right. The work-life balance. The dance, the direction, the breaks.

In friendly collaboration with the storytelling platform “Stories from South Tyrol” of IDM South Tyrol. Editors, photographers and movie makers collect and recount real stories of people and lifestyles in South Tyrol.
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