Ulos
The handwoven cloth that Batak families give to the couple and their kin at a wedding.
Also: ulos cloth, Batak cloth, mangulosi
Ulos is a woven cloth of the Batak people of North Sumatra, in red, black and white, with patterns that name its purpose. At a Batak wedding the bride's parents place an ulos over the shoulders of the couple in a rite called mangulosi, as a blessing for warmth, fertility and a long life. Other relatives give their own ulos, and the cloth passes between families in an order set by Batak adat, the dalihan na tolu, which names the roles of givers and receivers. Different ulos are worn for different occasions, and some are kept for generations.
Region: Southeast Asia