Sumbanese ikat has a rich and vibrant history, deeply rooted in the culture and traditions of the island of Sumba in eastern Indonesia. The art of ikat, which means "to tie" or "to bind" in the Indonesian language, involves a meticulous process of dyeing threads before weaving them into intricate patterns.

Historically, Sumbanese ikat has been a central aspect of social, cultural and economic life on the island for centuries. According to one belief, Sumba is saved from drowning in the sea by a bundle of warp threads hanging in the sky. Therefore, it is not possible to weave in the centre of Sumba as the warp threads would eventually break due to the rubbing up and down of the needle, but ikat must be woven in the east and west to sustain life on the island.

Over time, Sumbanese ikat evolved to reflect the dynamic cultural landscape of the island, influenced by interactions with neighbouring regions and distant trading partners. For centuries Sumba hosted traders from all over Nusa Tenggara as well as Chinese, Javanese, Buginese and Arab traders on the north coast and later the Portuguese, English and Dutch who traded sandalwood and sturdy little 'sandalwood horses' for ceramics, beads, weapons, gold and textiles.

Each ikat motif and design has multiple layers of meaning, often depicting elements of nature, mythical creatures, ancestral spirits and cosmological beliefs unique to Sumbanese culture. Textiles are an essential part of ritual exchanges on Sumba: as female goods, they are exchanged with metal objects (gold jewellery, knives). Special textiles are carried by the bride.