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After a warm welcome by a family in Kampung Ketek who invited me to a dinner the previous night, I spent the next day walking around the streets of Malacca. Jonker Street, which was bustling with tourists hovering over those street food stalls last night, seemed very quiet in the morning.

After having my coffee at Sin Sing Coffee, I walked further in search of some interesting places. I was told by locals and tourists a few days ago that Malacca was all about the Jonker Street night market on weekends. But I wasn't quite convinced that this town had not much to offer.

After an aimless walk around the town on a hot and humid day, a shop caught my attention. There were some colourful shoes on display and I told myself that I had to take a closer look. I entered the shop and saw a man and a woman sitting inside. I walked around the shop looking at beautiful designs of those shoes.

As I wandered around the shop, the man and woman kept working, without looking at me. None of us said a word. I thought of leaving as they were definitely not looking for a window-shopper. But the beauty of those shoes had made me curious to learn more about them. So instead of leaving the shop, I decided to feed my curious brain. I introduced myself and finally began the conversation.

The work I was looking at is called Nyonya shoes, known locally as kasut manek which literally means 'beaded shoes.' The couple - T. S. Lim and Susan - was working on the next pair of those beautiful shoes. As they continued working, I engaged in an interesting conversation with them. During this conversation, I came to know about the Baba Nyonya culture, handmade Nyonya shoes, and the struggle of keeping the dying art alive.

Baba Nyonya aka Peranakan People: A Brief Introduction

Peranakan people are the descendants of Chinese immigrants who came to the Malay archipelago between the 15th and 17th centuries. In Malaysia, Peranakan people are known as 'Baba and Nyonya' where 'Baba' stands for men and 'Nyonya' for women. The term 'Peranakan' simply means 'descendent in Malay and Indonesian.

After Zheng He aka Cheng Ho - a Chinese mariner, explorer, and admiral - visited Malacca in the early 15th century, close relations between Malacca and China were established. The growing relationship between the Sultan of Malacca and the Ming Dynasty of China resulted in a beautiful princess named Hang Li Po being sent to Malacca to marry the Sultan.

The claim of Hang Li Po being a real 'princess' is disputed but she brought with her 500 noblemen and some handmaidens who initially settled in Bukit China and eventually married Malay locals. These inter-race marriages marked the beginning of a new generation of people known as 'Baba Nyonya.'

People known as Baba Nyonya adopted the local culture while still retaining some parts of their Chinese culture. They still celebrate festivals like the Chinese new year and the mooncake festival. In Malacca, you will often come across shops, museums, and restaurants who represent the Nyonya culture in the town.

Peranakan women in Malacca wear a beautiful dress called Nyonya Kebaya. Kebaya is a heavily-embroidered blouse dress usually made from materials such as silk, polyester, thin cotton or semi-transparent nylon. Kebaya is paired with a batik-print sarung or sometimes a long skirt. The Nyonya beaded shoes are worn with kebaya sarung to complete the outfit.

The Art of Handmade Nyonya Beaded Shoes

Lim explained the shoe-making process after I showed interest in their work. Susan showed me different designs they made on graph papers that are then reduced in size.

The process of making a pair of shoes from those tiny, colourful beads takes days - often months. Thanks to the quality of materials used, a well-crafted, hand-made pair of beaded shoes can last for decades, I was told. These shoes can be also be altered to change the sole while still keeping the same beads work.

The size and quality of the beads can make the Nyonya beaded shoes costlier to own. The smaller the beads, the more amount of work, and the more expensive the final product. It can take more than 15,000 tiny beads to give the desired look to the pair of shoes. Imagine the patience, concentration, and dedication that goes into the process.

The couple politely declined my request of clicking some photos of their shoes. "A lot of hard work goes into making these designs," Lim told me. "People simply steal our designs and produce commercially." But a few moments later, I was presented with an old shoe that was waiting some alteration which they said I could photograph.

The Struggle Is Real

The struggle to keep the dying art of handmade Nyonya shoes is real. Lim showed me some materials which they used to get from India. The last company that made the specific kind of materials had stopped producing them - now making it difficult to find materials with similar quality.

Another hurdle in keeping the art alive is the newer generation's lack of willingness. "It's a dying art. It's hard to make money from this," said Susan with an understandable disappointment. "We are keeping this art alive but we want our children to study and get jobs instead."

The price of a finely crafted, handmade Nyonya beaded shoe pair can go as high as 2500 Ringgits (around $600). The price depends on the design, quality of materials, and the amount of hard work that goes into bringing the shoes to reality. Not everyone can afford these shoes, of course. But those who know and appreciate this dying art are willing to pay for it, said Lim.

Their customers include people from the local Baba Nyonya community as well as visitors from other countries. These customers or should I say, admirers, are somehow helping keep the business running for Lim, Susan and other shoemakers like them.

Most visitors - especially the young ones - visiting the shop to take some photos return disappointed because of the 'no photo' policy in the shop.

"People nowadays don't appreciate the effort that goes into making these designs," Lim told me. "I get many visitors coming here saying they have 'many followers' on social media. They say they can help us 'boost' the business. I simply say no because we have had bitter experiences with the same in the past. We are doing good the way it is."

I had one final look at those beautiful shoes before saying goodbye to Lim and Susan. They both got busy with their work - crafting a fine handmade pair of Nyonya beaded shoes as I left their shop in search of similar stories.

The Dying Art of Handmade Nyonya Beaded Shoes: Summary

Craftsmen and women like Lim and Susan are working hard to keep the art of handmade Nyonya shoes alive. With the next generation not very keen to adopt this craft as a skill, it's hard to say how long will it survive. Moreover, the commercial production of beaded shoes using cheaper and less reliable materials like PVC have hampered the business for those who spend countless hours in making these fine pair of handmade shoes.

Beaded shoes have played important role in the dressing of Nyonya women. The beautiful combination of kebaya and sarung is certainly incomplete without a matching pair of Nyonya shoes. It's hard, however, to keep the tradition going when the interest in Nyonya shoes is being lost.

What do you know about Baba and Nyonya culture? What are your thoughts and experiences about handmade Nyonya beaded shoes? Can this article be improved? Feel free to share your thoughts, experiences, and feedback with me.

Interested in visiting Lim and Susan's shop? They can be found at Lim Trading, 63, Jalan Tokong, 75200, Malacca, Malaysia. Looking for a place to stay in Malacca? There are plenty of affordable hostels and hotels across the town.

If you liked this article about handmade Nyonya shoes then please share it with others.

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The Dying Art of Handmade Nyonya Beaded Shoes

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After a warm welcome by a family in Kampung Ketek who invited me to a dinner the previous night, I spent the next day walking around the streets of Malacca. Jonker Street, which was bustling with tourists hovering over those street food stalls last night, seemed very quiet in the morning.

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GO: Beads of love [NSTTV] | New Straits Times

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A National Craft Award winner for Nyonya beaded shoes tells Loong Wai Ting about the dying art

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The Nyonyas really know how to dress to the nines back in the day thanks to the recognisable kebaya and sarung combo. But look further down to their feet and you will see it adorned with colourful and intricately beaded footwear, a trade that is unfortunately dying. Here we meet 2 ladies in Melaka that are keeping this art alive.

When one thinks of the Nyonya look, the kebaya top with its floral embroidery and figure-hugging cut come to mind. It is paired with a batik print sarung or a long skirt to complete the look. But one has to look closer to see that these Nyonya take their style all the way to the feet in the form of handstitched beaded shoes.

This art of making them is a dying one but I found a little shop tucked in Jonker Street, Melaka where two sisters are keeping this craft and fashion trend alive.

Joyce and Jennifer Ngiow look every part a classy Nyonya from their well-coiffed bobs down to their beaded slippers. These owners of J. Manik, a quaint shop selling beaded shoes made by Joyce and accompanying kebayas really know how to model their Nyonya style and heritage without looking out of place in this modern time.

The connection between Nyonyas and beaded shoes is due to the fact that Nyonyas are amazing with needlework and back in the day, it was a requirement to master it. Jennifer explains that the Nyonyas love getting dolled up for social gatherings or 'kenduri' in Malay where they would proudly display their garments that they crafted themselves. Plus, showing up in a pair of beaded shoes elevates your fashion status.

The birth of J. Manik
The love for beaded shoes and the art of making it came from the sisters' mother who frequently wore it. They were taught this detailed art of handcrafting shoes from their aunt. Opening a business came about as a way to highlight something close to their hearts and to do so with their big family of five siblings. Now they are 17 years strong with an impressive clientele of local and international shoe lovers.
The hand that beads them
"Joyce and I are known to be the fussiest woman in town because when we talk about handwork, it has to be detailed and the workmanship has to be good," admits Jennifer on the store's shoes. The soles of the shoes are changeable and it can be done without disrupting or damaging the beaded parts. So, if you started off with a 3-inch heel and over the years prefer to wear flats, the ladies at J. Manik are more than happy to do the alterations. That is why the craftsmanship during the inception of the shoe has to be immaculate so the beads do not go astray in the event you want a sole change.

A pair of beaded shoes can cost you anywhere from RM280 to RM2000 depending on the shape and bead type. Why pay such a hefty price tag for a slip on? Well, I found that a simple pair of closed toe beaded shoe takes up to 1 and half months to complete and uses an upwards of 18,000 pieces of beads.

In order for the beads to last long and the colour to stay vibrant, the ladies of J. Manik source their beads from abroad mainly Japan. The Japanese glass beads used, retain their vividness longer and come in a variety of colours to better mix and match with their fancy designs.

For finer beads to one-up your beaded shoe game, there are the beads imported from the Czech Republic. The beads are dainty therefore taking up to 3 months and use a whopping 54,000 beads to complete a pair. Joyce even requires a magnifying glass to meticulously sew the tiny beads into place.

Design wise, they started with traditional patterns. Many of their customers bring their own antique beaded shoes and Joyce will draft them to be beaded with the Japanese glass beads. But they have evolved to include patterns of fishes, peacocks and flowers.

"We do cater to match our customer's kebaya outfits and evening dresses. Nowadays our shoes can even be matched with jeans and casual clothes," explained Joyce who does all the beading for the shoes in the store.

Bespoke experience
That is an aspect of J. Manik that I find intriguing, is that the ladies will take the time to match the shoes to your outfit or style.

Jennifer mentioned of a client who they visited at her abode, where she took out her kebaya collection of different colours and patterns and requested the ladies to create a beaded shoe to match each outfit.

'You need to have the flair," said Jennifer when it comes to choosing a beaded pattern and matching it with an outfit. These ladies definitely have that and take the effort to spread the knowledge when a customer walks in or make an appointment. Joyce who manages the store even likes to dress up for her customers.

Not just about colour and pattern, the beaded shoes from J. Manik are also made in a plethora of shapes. Both Joyce and Jennifer sported the traditional flat closed toe shape but the store's shelves are lined with shoes designed with single, double and mule strap options. The height of the shoe can go up to 3 and a half inches but the flat ones look extra chic, brought to trend thanks to footwear like the slip-on loafers by Gucci.

A beaded legacy
To explain why owning a pair of beaded shoes is a worthy investment, Jennifer explains that," Beaded shoes are something every female needs to own because it is a dying trade. After this, you don't know whether they'll be another generation who will continue sewing it." So it is not only unique in its design where one and two are not the same but the value stems from the fact that not many people master this trade of beadwork in footwear.

Think about it, anyone can own a Hermes handbag if you have the money because there are thousands of people and factories that can produce them. But the Nyonya art of beaded shoes is a different story. Could you put a price on that?

J. Manik | 23, Jalan Hang Lekir, 75200 Melaka +606-282 7570

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Nyonya Heritage - The Art of Beaded Shoes

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The Nyonyas really know how to dress to the nines back in the day thanks to the recognisable kebaya and sarung combo. But look further down to their feet and you will see it adorned with colourful and intricately beaded footwear, a trade that is unfortunately dying.

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Cultivating appreciation for Melaka's beaded shoes

Published on: Wednesday, August 05, 2015

Tan Siew Hiok has been sewing beaded shoes for 37 years and is still getting the same old question. "Why do your shoes cost more than those at other shops?" customers would ask when the visit her shop, Old Town Clog Shoes Enterprise at Jalan Hang Jebat. They would say that they could get it cheaper elsewhere, at only RM40. The Melaka-born 51-year-old took it all in stride. She understood that not many of her customers realise the quality and intricacy of needlework needed to create a product that is the beloved heritage of the Peranakan Baba Nyonya culture. Kuala Lumpur:

"I don't take it to heart because the cheaper clogs they compare mine with are the ones made in the neighbouring countries and are of a different quality," she said to Bernama in an interview. To address the frequently asked question, Tan decided to buy a pair of the cheaper beaded clogs to help her illustrate her point to customers.She wanted customers to see the difference in quality for themselves.It was not an exercise in futility, as the visual comparison certainly helped her customers understand why her work sometimes cost thousands of ringgit. What Tan is facing is a dilemma shared by other local craft entrepreneurs.The oversupply of handicrafts from neighbouring countries with similar culture and heritage has somewhat forced local craftsmen to work harder at winning the hearts of customers. The lower quality enabled foreign crafts to be priced cheaper. Not many buyers are savvy enough to tell the difference, and may simply choose the cheaper option. This scenario is not new. The Tourism and Culture Ministry is aware of the issue and its detrimental effect to the local handicraft businesses.However, Tan did not want to merely sit around, depending only on Kraftangan Malaysia to educate the public on the issue. That is why she came up with the creative solution to help explain to her customers why her craft costs more. "I'm confident in the quality of our handicraft because local craftsmen emphasise very much on quality. Anyone who is well acquainted with my work will not question the price," she said.

She assured that she was not trying to sound boastful, but merely intended to uphold the superiority of a heritage of tradition that is the pride of the Baba Nyonya community. Using the foreign-made beaded clogs as an example, Tan generously shares with customers tips on how to recognise a quality piece of work by its stitching, beadwork, shoe quality and type of wood used. Foreign products usually have irregular stitching and beadwork. Its colours are less vibrant and are prone to fading, especially when frequently in contact with water. "The beadwork are also not as nice because there are gaps between each bead.This happens because they fill the beads on one thread and sew them. "When one bead is damaged, the others will fall off too," she explained. This is in contrast to her products that use beads from Japan and are sewn individually to create the customer's preferred design. This way, if one bead is damaged it will not affect the surrounding beads. "Usually these shoes can be handed down for generations. The only thing that would need fixing is probably the sole," she said. Beautiful footwear would be useless if it did not provide its wearer comfort or poses a health risk in the long run. Visitors to Tan's shop would often marvel at the not only the finely-stitched beadwork, but the fact that she makes each pair of shoes, from the start to finish, completely by hand and on her own. "I don't buy readymade shoes and simply glue on the beads. Comfort is my priority and I research the shape and size of the shoes I make over time. "This is our advantage and it has helped the business stay on for 37 years. Our shoes are not only beautiful but they are comfortable, durable and of impeccable quality," she said. Tan's interest in shoemaking started in her teens, when she first caught a glimpse of her grandmother's beautifully-beaded shoes. At the time she was involved in producing coconut shell-based ladies' accessories. The mesmerising sparkle of the beads inspired her to venture into an entirely different craft. "I tried to copy the designs and learned to sew on the beads myself. I started off using bigger beads. When I became better at it, I moved on to smaller beads and started taking orders. "It took me three months to master the techniques this craft," she recounted. However, she said, producing a high quality beaded shoe was not an easy task as it could take over four months to complete a pair, depending on the design and type of beads used. That is why some of her work costs up to thousands of ringgit. The most popular motif tended was the rose, she said. However, there are also clogs in Tan's shop are priced from as low as RM10. The clogs are made to suit the affordability of customers from all walks of life, from the regular folks to the VIPs. Her clientele includes the wife of the Prime Minister, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, as well as the late wife of a former prime minister, Tun Endon Mahmood. For Tan, her greatest joy was when she was among 12 recipients of the Master Craftsman Award 2015, in conjunction with the recent National Craft Day. "I was overjoyed by the recognition given as never had I imagined I would be given an award simply for my beaded shoes," she said. - Bernama

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Cultivating appreciation for Melaka's beaded shoes | Daily Express Online - Sabah's Leading News Portal

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Cultivating appreciation for Melaka's beaded shoes Published on: Wednesday, August 05, 2015 Tan Siew Hiok has been sewing beaded shoes for 37 years and is still getting the same old question. "Why do your shoes cost more than those at other shops?"

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJ3er_oQQkg&vl=en

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RATTAN is a dwindling natural resource in Sarawak.

The indigenous people have for centuries depended on the jungles for materials to help them make receptacles, ornaments, mats, and things they needed to make life easier.

Rattan is the name for roughly 600 species of climbing palms belonging to the sub-family Calamoideae, and to date, it is recognised Sarawak has more than 100 species of rattan.

Rattan is a liana, not a true wood nor an easy material to harvest in the thick jungles of Sarawak. There are many types - small as a wire to as big as a man's arm or even bigger.

Rattan was a chief export of Sarawak in the past but this has been minimal in the last 30 years.
Mats making among Ibans
The Ibans who rely a lot on rattan for the making of baskets, trays, fish traps, fishing rods, floors, walls, and other things, have different names for different types of rattan.

The Penans, Kenyahs, and Kayans, who are also expert rattan craftspeople, know their rattan well. These groups have been collecting rattan in the jungles of Sarawak to make mats and baskets and sometimes to sell to other groups.

In the past, they were the main groups who harvested rattan for sale to Chinese middlemen.

The Ibans' most famous mats called lampit are made from one of the best rattans of Sarawak called siga.

These mats are proudly displayed in Iban longhouses and usually rolled out when VIPs visit. In many stately homes in Sarawak, the lampit takes centre stage.

Robert Entalai remembers with gratitude how his mother Pantan Jiram made many lampit mats, intending to give one to each of her siblings and each child of hers.

She even made one especially for her late father, which is now in the possession of a sibling of hers.

"My mother was with my father in Ulu Belaga when she found there was this beautiful patch of siga in the nearby jungle.

"So before the bulldozers had their day, she quickly harvested the rattan. It must have taken her three months to harvest the difficult rattan vines which were full of thorns.

"At times, she could have met snakes and even dangerous animals. She only had her parang for protection. So single-handedly, she harvested and processed the vines, dried them, and split them to make lampit.

"My father was a bulldozer driver in Ulu Belaga and he was there with my mother for at least two years. When my mother returned to Ulu Limbang, she had a lot of siga left. She made at least 10 lampit mats while in Belaga.

"Now, she's still making some in her spare time in the longhouse. Siga is a very rare commodity now. It's tough, very lasting and a great legacy to pass on from one generation to another.

"I thank God I have one lampit from my mother. It's an act of love and I'll always treasure it," Robert said.
Not easy
Jenau (name has been changed) told thesundaypost he once went to the jungles with his grandfather and found rattan harvesting not easy at all. He was in his teens and like every Iban hunter, carried a parang. He was only able to slash some of the jungle plants along the way.

"We made a clearing to process the rattan vines my grandfather and uncle found. They were able to extract a lot in a few days once a patch of rattan was found.

"It took us about one and a half hours to walk from the riverbank. By noon my grandfather had already cut out quite a bundle - some 20kg of rattan.

"My uncle and I helped carry the rattan to the boat, then called it a day. This was the last time I went with him," Jenau recalled.

According to him, looking for wild rattan in the jungle is not easy. As such, he appreciates all the rattan baskets and mats his relatives made.

He said people should not bargain when they wanted to buy a genuine lampit mat.

"Think of the number of days my grandfather had to take looking for siga in the jungle and extracting it later. The whole siga hunt can be dangerous too. Besides, he had to process and dry the rattan. And just splitting the vines would take days.

"I always enjoy watching the longhouse weavers at work. They are so patient. It takes a few days to complete just a metre of mat. They don't weave every day because they have other chores."
Important use
Today, one of the rattan's most important uses is for making strong and lasting baskets to harvest oil palm fresh fruit bunches with. These baskets are usually made from lesser quality rattan.

Basket weaving is an art and a craft found in almost all cultures. It's the process of weaving or sewing pliable materials into two or three dimensional artefacts such as mats or containers.

Craftspeople and artists specialised in making baskets are usually referred to as basket makers and basket weavers. Handwoven baskets have existed since the beginning of human civilisation. They have been essential objects in the growth of economies, playing important roles in transportation and exchange of goods.

Sarawak baskets are now trendy and have caught the imagination of world fashionistas. It's good that traditional basket-weaving continues to be practised in the state and plays an important role in the cultures of the different ethnic groups. Remarkably, today, the baskets are made to be both fashionable and functional.

For everyday use, the indigenous women would make baskets to carry food, tools, fish, jungle produce, their harvest, and even their babies.

A basket weaver at the tamu Muhibbah told thesundaypost women were generally known to be the basket weavers of Sarawak as men did not normally weave baskets because good basket-weaving needs smaller and nimbler hands.

However, she said some men did make great baskets, adding, "Iban men have always been known to make good lampit. The softer mats are woven by women, using many different kinds of materials, not just rattan."
From Ulu Trusan with love
Lawet of Pa Berunut has a great passion for basket weaving. She has been doing it all her life and is now passing her knowledge on to her sisters and relatives who want to learn.

According to her sister Dayang Lasong, Lawet has been earning a little by selling her rattan baskets almost all her life.

She didn't go to school like the younger ones as she was a teenager during the Japanese Occupation. She missed her chance to go to primary school after the war and shortly after, she got married.

She and her husband depended on the land for a living.

Lawet's ability to make baskets can be said to be legendary - one large basket a day. When younger and healthier, she could locate rattan patches in the jungles in Ulu Trusan.

She would harvest the rattan and process them, which could take days. She had to trim the leaves off and make sure all the thorns were properly taken out with a sharp parang.

Very often, these rattan vines were found many miles from Pa Berunut. Today, as she has grown too old to go foraging for rattan herself, she buys them from the Penans who come to sell to her.

Dayang Lasong said, "I'm glad she can still buy the small rattan from the Penans. This will keep her going. She is so passionate about making baskets for a living.

"Amazingly, she is still skilful at 80 plus. Our whole community acknowledges her legacy. Many people have bought her beautiful baskets and trays as gifts and souvenirs. I can say these baskets are symbolic of our cultural history. Nothing can beat what is made by loving hands."
Penan women weavers
I had the chance to see rattan crafts made by Penan women during a recent visit to Murum. Their work is excellent and the display awesome.

According to one of the weavers, their products are selling very well.

At the Miri Handicraft centre, some Penan rattan baskets from Tutoh, Ulu Baram and Miri, can be purchased at market prices. These are very fine handicrafts.

Julan explained, "Some Penan women from Ulu Baram will come here to sell their handiworks because they have pay for their accommodation in Miri.

"Sometimes, they need money urgently because they have sick relatives in hospital. I admire them because they can still make baskets while staying with relatives. They can be said to be one of the best rattan craftswomen in Sarawak."

Many good Penan weavers can now make tote bags, purses, lamp shades, food covers, and even briefcases.
Past memories
P Wong is concerned that basketry is no longer taught in schools.

He said when he was a student in the 60s, he had lessons in basketry and he still remembers how to make rattan baskets.

He used to carry his books in a rattan basket during his secondary school days.

"It's a pity schools don't teach basketry nowadays. It's a very useful skill to have. We don't need to depend on rattan, we can use any materials. My wife uses old magazines, tears them up to make little rods, which she would weave into trays, containers, baskets, and even lampshades.

"By using dark brown shellac, she can fashion some beautiful crafty creations. Senior citizens should do some basketry so that their fingers will not become stiff.

"I do help my wife with this craft and I regain dexterity in my fingers. Basketry is even mentioned in the Bible. Moses was put in a basket and rescued by Pharaoh's sister," he said.

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Rattan baskets and mats - a loving legacy - Borneo Post Online

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RATTAN is a dwindling natural resource in Sarawak. The indigenous people have for centuries depended on the jungles for materials to help them make receptacles, ornaments, mats, and things they needed to make life easier.

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IBAN basket and mat weavers are facing a fast depleting supply of rattan, the slender but strong and pliable jungle palm or reed that is indispensible to their craft.

Rattan's increasing rarity can be attributed to poor logging practices, forest fires and opening up of plantation estates.

Like many equatorial flora, rattan is a sensitive plant. For it to thrive, plenty of space and growing conditions such as the right amount of sunshine and rain are essential.

Rattan collectors and makers of rattan baskets and mats in Sarawak believe something has to be done before the 'rattan culture' becomes history like in many other parts of Southeast Asia.

A Penan weaver in Limbang laments she and her sisters have to now resort to using plastic materials for making basketry items.

A retired headmaster whose wife is a basket weaver, is also hoping rattan can be cultivated profitably through research - and development of rattan plantations.

This underscores the importance of rattan as the quinessential material for making baskets and mats among the longhouse Iban womenfolk.

The headmaster also called for basketry to be incorporated into the syllabus of rural primary schools.

Lending credence to the call, a researcher, who recently visited the Heritage Handicraft Centre of Miri, observed that in recent years, there had been a global revival in the study of traditional basketry techniques and designs.

Some universities are designing instructional courses for basket and mat weaving. A few research scholars have even written theses on the subject, comparing two different cultures of basket and mat weaving which has resulted in very interesting findings.

Although rattan is harder to come by these days, an Iban housewife, Pantan, who is one of the best basket weavers of Rumah Aling (Ulu Limbang) still goes into the jungle from time to time to look for the material.

Harvesting rattan means her body will be exposed to cuts by thorns and her legs to hurt by tough twines.

In the past, she even had close encounters with snakes.

Sometimes, Pantan goes into the jungle alone but usually, her elderly husband, daughter-in-law and cousin accompany her.

Pantan, who is 60 plus, strongly discourages loss of man hours, believing if too many people go in search of rattan in the jungle, much valuable household work will be left undone.

Her own longhouse is nestled in idyllic surroundings where cockerels flap their wings and crow to welcome the break of dawn.

Birds join in the chorus of Nature's feathered choir with cheery chirpings while early morning dew washes the jungle canopy and mist drifts low on the hills.

Smoke from woodfire wafts from the roofs of kitchens in the longhouse and in the silence of the early morning, the sounds of crockery being washed and pails being dragged along the concrete floor can be heard.

Typically, Pantan, like all Iban longhouse women, rises as early as 4am to cook two meals - breakfast and lunch - to bring to the farm.

While waiting for the rice to cook over the woodfire, she would take out her yet to be completed basket or mat and add to them a few more rows of weaving.

Pantan has four children - Robert, Juat, Anthony and Lily - and 14 grandchildren. She lives in the longhouse with her daughter-in-law and two grandchildren who go to a nearby school.

All her children are working and living elsewhere - Robert and Juat have jobs in Kuala Lumpur. Anthony, the youngest, works as a tractor driver in Papua New Guinea while Lily is a housewife living in Miri.

Like other Iban housewives, Pantan is on her feet all day, doing household chores and looking after her grand children, if not walking several kilometres to work in her farm - sometimes not even resting on Sundays.

When she returns from the field, she and her daughter- in-law will cook the evening meal. After that, before she sleeps, she would sit beside a dim light to work on her baskets and mats.
Eye for details
Pantan has an keen eye for detailed designs. Her products, of which the most well-known is tikar lampit, are greatly admired by people who know her.

According to her, to make baskets or mats, the rattan is trimmed first, then skinned. Sometimes, it is soaked in water. Splicing is done with knives of different sizes.

Pantan has been making rattan baskets and mats most of her life that the whole process is second nature to her. She only has to see a pattern once to come with an exact replica.

Her cousin, Selin, who is also a grandmother of several grandchildren, does not work in the farm but concentrates on making baskets and mats not from rattan but plastic materials bought in the kedai (shop).

One roll of plastic ribbon or weaving material now costs around RM120 in Limbang. Previously, most Iban women bought only small left-over strips but Selin prefers the whole roll.

She chooses her colours carefully as her customers often ask for different combinations of colours and designs.

So far, her business is thriving. Some of her products are selling for over RM200 apiece. Sometimes, friends introduce West Malaysian visitors to her ready-made items.

More and more women are taking up basketry in the longhouse. They will sell their products at the Limbang Tamu - mostly to Sabahans and Bruneians.
The useful bemban
Another mat material is bemban (water weed) which is harder to process.

It is only when Pantan is not working at the farm that she finds time to make bemban mats which can be beautifully designed and make great gifts for children.

The mats are also "very cooling" as a cover for new-born babies.

Pantan said bemban mats which could be washed and dried in the sun, were 'very hygienic' to use in the living room or bedroom for babies to crawl on.

Even the Chinese in town admire bemban mats and often pay a good price for them. A small piece frequently fetches RM100 - that is if the weaver is willing to sell.

Iban basketry designs are usually geometrical for utilitarian use. The fern motifs can be intricately fashioned by fine finger-works like those produced by Pantan.

Sometimes, the baskets are so well made that they are used as decoratives and conversation pieces rather than for everyday household use.

Once while visiting her sister in Sri Aman, Pantan came across new designs and immediately replicated them on paper.

On her return to Limbang, she used the new designs to make baskets - with improved handles.

Pantan radiates enthusiasm for her handiworks. She believes anyone willing to learn can become a good craftswoman.

An Iban woman skilled in basketry is highly respected by the community. This is the kind of legacy older Iban weavers should leave behind to perpetuate a highly elegant (and exclusive) artform.

They must not leave just baskets and mats behind but their time-honed skills to the younger generation as well.

Such life skills will add great pride to their rich heritage and culture and should be passed down from generation to generation.

But are the days of the basket and mat weavers numbered in the face of acute rattan shortage?

The writings are on the wall and hopefully they will not go unnoticed.
Tough natural fibre
Besides rattan and plastic, almost all the longhouse womenfolk make mats from the rough keropok, a weed with very tough natural fibre, which can be found in the wild or grown near the longhouse.

As keropok is a very light and free material, many weavers from Rumah Asing can make baskets and mats very quickly with it in their spare time and sell them at the tamu.

Once the keropok is trimmed, refined, dried and processed, it can be made into a mat in a day or two.

Cash can be brought in quite easily in this way and it will go to paying for sugar, salt and cooking oil, according to a weaver known as Mrs Datu.

She added that keropok mats were mostly for personal or family use.

Keropok is useful for another purpose - making attap (quite like the nipah variety) which can be used as a temporary room divider.

Because of its light weight, it's often used by boatmen as roof covers for their boats for the long river journey up the ulu or down to the hilir.

Keropok is also used to make temporary roofs and covers for make-shift shelters at timber camps.

Mats made from this material are one of the most disposable items produced by the Ibans.

According to Pantan, keropok is easily found in the Limbang valley. And to her, it is a valuable gift from God. Very often, she makes keropok mats to protect her linoleum matting in her litchen.

Mats made from this material are warm to touch and nice to step on.

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Rattan shortage threatens weavers' future - Borneo Post Online

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IBAN basket and mat weavers are facing a fast depleting supply of rattan, the slender but strong and pliable jungle palm or reed that is indispensible to their craft. Rattan's increasing rarity can be attributed to poor logging practices, forest fires and opening up of plantation estates.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTomiQoHz2w

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SARAWAKIAN handicrafts and accessories are often synonymous with traditional tribal designs with small beads and four signature colours: Black, white, red and yellow.

Although marketable for their rich heritage and distinguishable designs, handicraft designers in the Borneo state are not without their gripes on the industry.

Pungu Borneo Sdn Bhd MD and jewellery designer Lucille Awen Jon said the main ongoing issue in the handicraft industry is the tight competition caused by the lack of quality control.

"We put a lot of effort into our works to source our beads, and while they're not all from Sarawak, we still design our products individually. Meanwhile, some people buy from us and then resell the products.

"There are also those who mass produce and then sell, which also means lesser quality beads, thus turning away customers from the born and bred craft masters," she told The Malaysian Reserve at the Asean Lifestyle Week at Kuala Lumpur (KL) Convention Centre, KL, last Friday.

She said the designs from the major ethnic groups in Sarawak, such as the Bidayuh, Melanau and Iban, possess their unique qualities which are understandably both marketable and not.

"It depends, some people like them, and some people don't. I see that our works are mostly marketable, however, we just lack the quality control that can help maintain the industry," she said.

Lucille added that there has been a lack of support towards handicrafts that is caused by other industries like herbs.

"You cannot export herbs to certain countries because they may be banned. Herbs are also consumed, while accessories and crafts can be permanent mementos," she said.

Lucille is an expert in Bidayuh traditional necklaces, calling her line the "Pangieh Ranee", which is inspired by the Pangiah, a spiritual necklace worn by priestesses.

It was believed that the Pangiah could gather spirits to provide guidance to a sick person, whereby during the healing process, each patient would bring forth a gift to the priestess in the form of brass bells, coils, ancient coins, bear claws, tusks or beads to be hung on the necklace to protect the priestess.

The modern-day pangiah is designed to look like its ancestors - minus the gifts - while also featuring beads and colours which are not originally used.

The most distinctive feature of the Bidayuh necklace is its layered and multi- strand designs with colourful beads.

Meanwhile, the Melanau necklace is often single-strand in design but has a larger centrepiece. The rest of the necklace is decorated with small, common polychrome beads.

It was written by Heidi Munan, in a report titled "Melanau Bead Culture: A Vanishing World?" that the ethnic group specifically prefers more dainty and smaller items than flashy decorations.

The Iban necklace is similar to the Bidayuh in a way that they often utilise the multi-strand designs and intricate small beads, however, the Marek Empang is worn to decorate the shoulders.

To further modernise the handicrafts, the Sarawak Craft Council's ceramic clay young master Nabilah Abdullah has handcrafted her special brand of beads.

She handcrafts her beads which are called the "mocha diffusion beads", a method more often seen in pottery than jewellery.

"They are made from sago fibre as well as ceramic clay, which is reduced to lighten its mass," she said.

Each clay is painted on differently, making each sizeable and somewhat heavy bead on a necklace or earring distinctly unique from each other, although they may share similar patterns.

Nabilah has taught other women in the community on how to design their gasing (top) that would work with the rope method of spinning the toy, which requires a lot less energy or strength to spin.

"Now even we can play. I grew up watching the boys play among themselves, but knowing how to make one now, we can have our fun, too," she said.

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The Sarawakian handicrafts - layered beads, colourful patterns

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By NUR HAZIQAH A MALEK / Pic By ARIF KARTONO SARAWAKIAN handicrafts and accessories are often synonymous with traditional tribal designs with small beads and four signature colours: Black, white, red and yellow. Although marketable for their rich heritage and distinguishable designs, handicraft designers in the Borneo state are not without their gripes on the [...]

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KUCHING: With his nimble fingers, he deftly threads the yellow-, black- and white-coloured beads.

Occasionally, he turns to his mobile phone screen to take a look at a YouTube demonstration on the making of a beaded necklace.

An hour later, the necklace, bearing a traditional Bidayuh motif, is ready. Dickson Noyen holds it up and flashes a smile, obviously satisfied with his handiwork.

Dickson, 59, a retired teacher, is one of the few men involved in the beadwork culture Sarawak is well-known for and he is proud he has the skills to produce beautiful beaded accessories which are an identity of the womenfolk in the Bidayuh, Orang Ulu and Iban ethnic groups.

He took up beadwork about five years ago as a hobby but eventually, it became a source of income for him when he started getting orders from his friends and the public.

"In fact, I'm getting quite a good income from it," he told Bernama.
Fashion designer
Dickson, who is a Bidayuh from Kampung Stenggang in Bau, Sarawak, also has a flair for fashion designing and took up sewing classes a year before going to beadwork.

"That was the time when I would teach English at a school during the day and learn to sew at night. Initially, I used to create designs for others to sew but later I myself started sewing after I became adept at it," he said.

He developed an interest in beadwork after he realised that it was difficult for the locals, especially the Bidayuh community, to match their ethnic outfits with the appropriate beaded accessories.

"When I was sewing traditional outfits for Bidayuh men and women, I too found it hard to source accessories for the clothes.

"This inspired me to take up beadwork so that I can produce the accessories myself," said Dickson, whose nickname is Kodek. His clothes and beaded accessories are sold under the brand name Kodek's Collections.

Recalling the time he first tried his hand at making the traditional bead necklaces, he said he learnt through trial and error.

"I can't remember how many times I tried and failed. But it didn't weaken my spirit because the accessories were actually easy to make, especially when you already have the materials and know what motif you wish to create," said Dickson.

"I also don't mass produce accessories with the same motif even though the demand is good. This is because I only receive small orders from people... they usually order one or two accessories each for their own use."
Dismantle and assemble
This retired teacher learnt to make the beaded accessories entirely from books and YouTube videos. He would also buy some accessories, dismantle the beads and then put them together again.

"From there I learnt how to make different designs for accessories such as necklace, earrings and bracelets," Dickson said, adding that he prefers to focus on his own designs to create motifs using the four basic colours - red, black, yellow and white.

Dickson, who gets a lot of orders from locals and outsiders for the 'panggieh' or necklace featuring the ethnic Bidayuh motif, uses beads imported from Indonesia and South Korea.

"The beads from these two countries are of high quality and reasonably priced. In fact, I usually go to a village called Jombang in Surabaya (Indonesia) to buy its unique glass beads," he said.

His beaded accessories are sold at between RM25 and RM250 per piece, depending on its design, type of bead used and workmanship.

Dickson, who makes his accessories at home and markets them via social media, also gets invited to teach women and students how to make the beaded accessories.

He also participates in exhibitions organised by the Sarawak chapter of the Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation and cultural non-governmental organisations. - Bernama

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Bidayuh man's beadworks much sought-after - Borneo Post Online

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KUCHING: With his nimble fingers, he deftly threads the yellow-, black- and white-coloured beads. Occasionally, he turns to his mobile phone screen to take a look at a YouTube demonstration on the making of a beaded necklace. An hour later, the necklace, bearing a traditional Bidayuh motif, is ready.

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Was so excited that I managed to sign up for Bidayuh Traditional Necklace ( Pangiah) Workshop organized by Pungu' Borneo in conjunction with What About Kuching 2018. I'm always curious on how these traditional necklaces are made. In fact, I ever dream of making my own jewelry/accessories for sell hehehe... However, never get into doing it. This is my first time making a proper beaded necklace.

The class was 10am to 5pm at Pullman. Our instructor was Lucille fromPangieh Ranee. Very talented and creative lady. It's not easy to do all these things, it requires high passion and patience.

Even though I'm half-Bidayuh, I do not know much about the tradition and culture of the Bidayuh community because my mom's kampung doesn't practice the customs as it's a Seventh Day Adventist village.

Let me share a little bit about Pangiah with you...

This necklace is from Bidayuh Jagoi community in Bau area in Sarawak. The functions is for healing, ceremonial, and harvest offering. It's a 'spiritual' and sacred necklace worn by a priestess or a woman healer. It has the power to gather spirit that would provide guidance and help to grant their wielders request. It is not common to be worn by common Bidayuh folks.

The charms are believed to be able to protect the priestess from harm while performing a spiritual ceremony. Ok... The ones in the photos are just ornamental. Actual charms can be from wild boar tusk, bear claws, brass bells, brass coils, ancient coins, rikis tolam(transparent green-blue beads) or rikis biru(big sized melon beads). These will be given by the 'patient' who would like to engage the service of the priestess as a prosih(gift).

The key components of a pangiah consist of:
1. Beads
2. Charms
3. Spacer
4. Brass coil
5. 2 old coins, for each side of the pangiah
6. Main colours are red, black, and white. It can also have mixture of colourful beads. It is usually very colourful and can be easily notice from afar.

These days, it's being used as fashion statement. There will be no charms on them, even if there are, it's mostly ornamental. The one we're learning was the traditional ones.

The strands are made up of odd numbers(9/11/13) for pangiah. The motives and designs represent the nature such as bird's eye and mountain/hill.

Here's mine... I experimented with Boton Manuk Puni(diamond shape with small dot in the middle represents the bird's eye). All eyes on you! Don't play play! 😛

Left: Lucile was very passionate in teaching us how to do the necklace.

Right: It's one hard work! Don't complain that these things are expensive, it's not! It's very labour extensive! I had body ache working on it for 6 1/2 hour! *LOL* Oh man... Worst than going hiking in Bako hahaha!! See the necklace I did? Hahaha... Well... I was too eager to want to get it done, I've forgotten about counting the beads for the curve. Oppss... I didn't finish my necklace because I was too ambitious, curiously testing out the patterns, and making a long one *LOL* The one in the photo is unfinished. So... I am going to remove the curve and one side of necklace to redo it one of these days.

It's an interesting class, great for beginners. We called it a day with a group photo with Lucille (5th right). I really enjoyed it. Thanks toPungu' Borneo for organizing it.

A series of events are going on around Kuching this October in conjunction with What About Kuching 2018. Check it out at AboutKuching.com and see what other bloggers are doing at the various events at SarawakBloggers.com.

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Bidayuh Traditional Necklace (Pangiah) Workshop - WAK 2018

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Was so excited that I managed to sign up for Bidayuh Traditional Necklace ( Pangiah) Workshop organized by Pungu' Borneo in conjunction with What About Kuching 2018. I'm always curious on how these traditional necklaces are made. In fact, I ever dream of making my own jewelry/accessories for sell hehehe...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6owCLGa2sRI

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www.nst.com.my needs to review the security of your connection before proceeding.

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A growing number of budding Sabahan handicraft makers are turning to social media to promote their goods. Many of them are using social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to introduce Malaysian-made handicraft to the world.

"There is a number of youths, including fresh graduates from Institut Kraf Negara, who are interested to learn traditional handicrafts. The plus point is they are using social media channels to boost sales. There's so much potential in local handicraft. It's a matter of finding the right channels to market it," says Kraftangan Malaysia (Sabah) director Abdul Halim Ali during an interview in Kota Belud.

Most of Sabah's handicraft comes from Kota Belud, a small town about 70km from Kota Kinabalu. Among the most-sought after items are tapestry, tree-bark crafts, machetes and handwoven rattan.

Abdul Halim explains that these small-scale craft enterprises are the source of livelihood for a large number of people from Kota Belud. The high demand for Sabah's traditional handicraft can provide a lucrative income for local communities.

"Over 300 craftsmen across Kota Belud are registered with Kraftangan Malaysia (Sabah). They run their small-time business from home, right from sourcing for raw materials to creating intricately designed pieces."

Recently, media members were invited for the Kraftangan Malaysia's Project Kraf Kampungku (Craft From My Village) trip to Kota Belud. It is an initiative to promote Sabahan crafts to a wider audience.

Craft From My Village is under Kraftangan Malaysia's One Industry One District programme. The initiative aims to re-brand and encourage local craftsmen to venture into this thriving business. During the three-day trip, journalists visited five craft industries in Kota Belud.

The town is made up of people from the Bajau, Iranun, Dusun and Kadazan communities. Locals produce a wide range of handicraft products catering to the domestic and international market.

The Iranun community are known for their tapestry. Some of their popular textile art works include Mugah, Dastar and Ampik. The Dastar is often used as ceremonial headgear by ethnic groups such as the Kadazan, Dusun and Bajau. The beautiful handwoven pieces are also the choice material for traditional weddings.

The Bajau men are skilled craftsmen, known for their handcrafted machetes, while the women are renowned for their expertise in leaf-weaving.

The Dusun community is known for rattan weaving and tree bark craft.

Their craft items are sold at Kota Belud's Tamu Besar, the local Sunday morning market. They are also distributed to popular tourist destinations across Sabah, Sarawak and West Malaysia.

"Tourists love the tenduang, a food cover, woven using dyed serdang leaves. The Bajau machetes are also sought after because of their fine craftsmanship and carving featuring Bajau traditional motives. These are some of Sabah's signature souvenir items," explains Abdul Halim, 39, who is inclined towards wood-based handicrafts due to its uniqueness and versatility.

To further preserve these dying crafts, Kraftangan Malaysia (Sabah) has built an incubator craft centre in Kota Belud.

The centre serves as a one-stop destination where budding entrepreneurs can sign up for handicraft courses that run between three and six months. It is the first centre of its kind in Sabah.

There are five sub-training centres within the incubator, catering to craftsmen specialising in machetes, rattan weaving, wood work and Dastar tapestry.

Experienced craftsmen are hired to train students.

It also accepts Institut Kraf Negara graduates who want to further hone their traditional crafting skills.

"We accept people from the community who want to make a living from handicraft. Essentially, it is about enabling the local community to earn a sustainable living as artisans.

"So far, 55 youth from Kota Belud have signed up with us," says Abdul Halim, adding the courses are fully subsidised by Kraftangan Malaysia.

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A growing number of budding Sabahan handicraft makers are turning to social media to promote their goods. Many of them are using social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to introduce Malaysian-made handicraft to the world. "There is a number of youths, including fresh graduates from Institut Kraf Negara, who are interested to learn traditional handicrafts.

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Serdang leave craft - pride of the bajau

Published on: Thursday, March 03, 2016

Azizah squinted her eyes. The 46-year-old woman had been trying to thread the needle several times now, but was unsuccessful. "Child, can you help me? My eyes are not what they used to be," her request jolted the writer, who had been admiring handicraft made from 'serdang' (a type of palm) leaves. She was sitting down on the rubber mat with two of her friends. Their fingers, though marked with age and experience, were deftly weaving the leaves. For them and the other women at Kampung Lingkodon, Kota Belud, weaving serdang leaves into highly intricate handicraft has been part of their daily routine. It has been that way since the time of their ancestors. Kota Belud:

The traditional craft is the pride of the Bajau people and is very popular around Kota Belud, thus making it an important source of income for women in the village looking to supplement their family's income. Despite being a female-dominated industry, one man has been known to engage in the craft for a living. "The young are not interested in the craft, so it is just old folks who are still doing this. However, back then, it was not only the women in the village who were weaving. The men joined in too. "Today, I am the only man in this village still actively making handicraft from serdang leaves. Perhaps there are also others in other villages, but I'm not aware of it," said the man clad in the traditional Bajau attire, who goes by the name Pusip. His real name is Sadi Basal. The 47-year-old is a well-known name in the Bajau handicraft industry. The intricacy of his woven work is often praised by buyers, particularly tourists. In fact, the writer felt just as amazed by the handicraft when she visited his workshop in the village during a trip organised by Kraftangan Malaysia recently. Rows of handicraft made from serdang leaves in various shapes and colours were arranged neatly on a table. The road to the village was rocky and uneven and the heat was stinging. However, viewing the beauty of his handicraft took the edge from the arduous two-hour drive from Kota Kinabalu. "In the beginning, the woven handicraft is only used as a food cover, called "tenduang" in the Bajau dialect. "However, today, we are extending its uses to many more commercial products such as egg containers, fruit baskets, handbags and waste baskets," he explained. The fineness of his work was recently recognised when he won the "Tukang Ulung Kraf" award during the 2015 National Craft Day celebration. The bachelor was so proud of the craft of his heritage that he did not feel embarrassed sitting alongside other women, weaving. It was indeed a highly valued craft in the tourism industry. Besides the Bajau, serdang handicraft are also produced by the Bruneians in Kuala Penyu, Sabah.

However, the ones produced by the Bajau in Kota Belud are distinguishable by their colourful striped patterns. Pusip said his involvement into the world of serdang weaving stemmed from watching his late mother weave serdang products every day.However, he only started on the craft at the age of 14. He has not looked back since and was driven to produce crafts different from those in the market."It is not hard to source the material needed. The serdang tree, which looks like a palm tree, grows in abundance around the swamp in the village. Besides that, I just need scissors, thread, needles and dye," he said. His products became more varied and interesting after he registered his small operation with Kraftangan Malaysia in 1987. He then became bold enough to break away from convention, moving towards more dynamic and innovative designs that resonated with the youths.Pusip said that Kraftangan Malaysia had helped him a lot by giving advice on design, marketing strategies and by providing other aids like a workshop."My products use bright colours like green, pink, purple and yellow. Those are among the colours most favoured by buyers," said Pusip, who produced 400 serdang craft a month. The limited quantity produced is owing to the fact that his products are nearly 100 percent handmade. The process of making serdang products is similar to that of mengkuang (pandanus) crafts, but the end products differ.This is because serdang leaves are much tougher and therefore can only be woven into stripes. This is different than mengkuang leaves which are pliable enough to be woven into latticed patterns, among others. Pusip finds the production process rather challenging. In the quest of harvesting serdang leaves, he often comes across poisonous cobras and has even been stung by a wasp. Once harvested, the leaves have to be boiled and then sun-dried. Only then can they be woven. "I would usually go looking for leaves early in the morning because the leaves become rather brittle by midday. There are two types of leaves that I will harvest, but I will usually go for the young ones. "The young ones will turn whitish after boiling and this eases the dyeing process. We have to be careful when harvesting serdang leaves because besides the threat of poisonous animals, there is also the thorns to look out for," he explained. The boiling process takes three hours and drying process three days. It is then rolled and boiled again in dyed water for five minutes. "Mengkuang paint is used as it adheres well to the serdang leaves. After that, it is dried under the fan before being cut and woven into the desired products," he said. Pusip, who has five fulltime workers, said that the longest he ever spent on a product was two weeks. Crafts are sold from as low as RM3 and can go above RM300. Most of the orders are for weddings. "Those from Peninsular Malaysia can place their orders for my craft through Kraftangan Sabah," he said. After 33 years in the craft, he hoped that there would youths interested enough to learn the art. "I often conduct workshops. However, none of the young ones are that eager in learning it. I hope that the craft will not disappear with time." - Bernama

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Serdang leave craft - pride of the bajau | Daily Express Online - Sabah's Leading News Portal

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Serdang leave craft - pride of the bajau Published on: Thursday, March 03, 2016 Azizah squinted her eyes. The 46-year-old woman had been trying to thread the needle several times now, but was unsuccessful. "Child, can you help me?

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Pandan or Mengkuang leaves are used by different ethnic groups in Sabah which includes communities from Brunei Papar, Iranun Kota Belud, Bajau Semporna, and Orang Ubian from Pulau Banggi. In the olden days, the leaves are weaved into mattresses or prayer mats. Nowadays, it is made into home decorations and even fashion accessories.

Puan Jelham

One of the entrepreneurs for the Pandan or Mengkuang weaving is Puan Jelham, who is a descendant of Bajau Ubian from Pulau Banggi. According to her, the handicraft is pioneered by the women of Bajau Ubian community and it is compulsory for family members to learn the weaving techniques in order to continue the legacy of their tradition.

Puan Jelham works together with the community of Pulau Banggi, to ensure that the tradition and culture of Bajau Ubian community doesn't go extinct. She helps with the promotion and sales aspect of Pulau Banggi's weaving business, and also conducts handicraft courses in the area. She also owns a handicraft shop called J&L Aneka Kraftangan.

Among her achievements are Sijil Anugerah Khas Parawati Contoh tahun 2015 and Anugerah Parawati Cemerlang 2016.

Persatuan Wanita Pulau Omadal (WAPO)

Persatuan Wanita Pulau Omadal (WAPO) Semporna is another entrepreneur of Pandan leaves weaving handicrafts (tutored by Kraftangan Malaysia and Gerai Orang Orang Asal), where a community of women overcome social issues concerning them and their families. They encourage their local community to participate in environmental conservation activities and help improve the community's socio-economy by earning a living through creating handicrafts and eco-tourism programs.

The association was established in January 2010 and is registered under the Registrar of Societies Malaysia. They have been involved in various events organised by WWF such as Mataking Reef Day, Semporna Regatta Lepa, Minggu Penyu Laut Semporna and Majlis Berbuka Puasa Semporna 2013.

WAPO is currently working on the concept of " setiap pelancong ke Pulau Omadal adalah 'partners' dalam konservasi marin" ( all tourists of Pulau Omadal are marine conservationists), where a sum of each tourism fee from the eco-tourism program will be donated to WAPO Conservation Fund. Each purchase will help increase the income of the communities in Pulau Omadal and 10% of the sales revenue will be used for the protection of the environment.

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The entrepreneurs of Pandan or Mengkuang weaving

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Pandan or Mengkuang leaves are used by different ethnic groups in Sabah which includes communities from Brunei Papar, Iranun Kota Belud, Bajau Semporna, and Orang Ubian from Pulau Banggi. In the olden days, the leaves are weaved into mattresses or prayer mats. Nowadays, it is made into home decorations and even fashion accessories.

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"A myth is a projection of an aspect of a culture's soul. In its complex but revealing symbolism, a myth is to a culture what a dream is to an individual." ~ David Adams Leeming, A Dictionary of Creation Myths (1994)

What is animism all about? What exactly does a pagan believe? Animism derives from anima, the Latin word for soul. Orang Asli believe that the world was created when Universal Spirit - the One Primordial Soul ( Tuhan) - split into many souls. These lesser souls or spirits began to explore different dimensional possibilities, each identifying a unique form to inhabit and, in the process, devolving from the subtle ( halus) to the dense ( kasar). Human beings ( manusia) operate midway between these extremes - acting as conscious or unconscious intermediaries between the Seen and Unseen Realms, between the material and spiritual domains.

The animist views the landscape as the manifestation of Universal Spirit. However, certain forms - whether mineral, vegetable, tree, animal, bird, fish, river, or rock - are more aware of their spiritual pedigree and are thus considered sacred ( keramat). Whilst others, turning their figurative backs on their divine source, constitute the malefic and ruffianly ranks of predatory ghosts, imps, and vampires ( hantu, jin, langsuir).

Indeed, many Orang Asli elders are inclined towards the opinion that modern man has fallen from grace; that we now find ourselves collectively living in a paradise lost. Our remote ancestors, they say, lived in a far richer reality, with access to a much wider range of the electromagnetic spectrum. There are legends that speak of the spiral stairway between heaven and earth being shut down by the gods to stop humans from infecting other worlds with pestilential greed and ruthless ambition.

As with many other cosmologies - for instance the Mayan and the Hindu - the indigenous cultures view our much-vaunted Age of Reason and Scientific Materialism as a long, spooky trip through the Galactic Night (Kali yuga or the Nine Hells) before our re-emergence into a New Evolutionary Dawn wherein humanity shall once again live in cooperative harmony with Nature.

Orang Asli society, while mostly egalitarian, recognizes hierarchical status according to an individual's mastery of knowledge ( ilmu) - be it esoteric or exoteric. Traditionally the tribal chief ( batin) was also a shaman who guided the community's inner life; but in recent days the choice of a batin largely depends on the candidate's ability to read and write and effectively function as an intermediary between community and state.

In animist cultures the shaman ( bomoh, dukun, pawang) is a master of many arts, and all art derives from magical ritual. Ceremonial songs, weavings, dances, carvings and masks were originally a means to link up with the spirit realms - not ornaments for barter or sale in the market.

But aesthetic or magical values are not necessarily destroyed by commercial considerations. Almost all art today is influenced to a degree by economic factors. The test of good art is that it transcends the monetary value attached to it. That it retains the innocence and spontaneity of a creative act inspired by the unschooled imagination.

Good art stimulates not only the external senses but also the remembrance of other lives and other worlds. Good art reconnects us with our indigenous roots, our primeval selves. It feeds our yearning for the mysterious and the numinous.

ASLI ~ An Exhibition of Wood Sculptures from the Anthony Ratos Collection @ Galeri Petronas, April-May 2000

"Indigenous art is essentially governed by religious beliefs and ceremonial rituals. For inspiration, the artist looks to his surroundings. His creation is not purely aesthetic. It is a greater expression of the living social reality in which he resides. Gods, spirits, landscapes, natural phenomena, animals, and even fellow human beings provide him with the material to invoke a world where the mundane meets the mystical, where the simple meets the complex. It is a world where art and artist merge as one." ~ Anthony Ratos, The Orang Asli of Malaya (1999)

For Anthony Ratos, an initial encounter with Orang Asli at the tender age of 12 led to a lifelong love affair with these simple, fascinating, jungle folk.

Indeed, the term "Orang Asli" was first used in 1952 by Ratos, in a thesis he wrote while at Kirkby Teachers' College in Liverpool. As a teacher in Maxwell Secondary School, Kuala Lumpur, Mr Ratos coordinated a two-year field study of Orang Asli culture by the senior students, which yielded a book and an exhibition.

In 1958, while seconded to the Pahang Orang Asli Affairs Department, Anthony Ratos saw Batin Hitam, headman of the Jah Hut tribe, carving a wooden doll from pulai wood to replace his 5-year-old daughter's broken plastic plaything. Batin Hitam was using a crude rattan-cutting knife with such obvious skill that Mr Ratos decided to provide him with proper carving tools and a commission to depict the tribal pantheon in wood. This, according to Anthony Ratos, was the genesis of the Jah Hut wood carving tradition.

In the course of his visits to the Mah Meri settlement on Carey Island, Mr Ratos persuaded a few villagers to try their hand at wood sculpture. The results were astounding. Within a year enough carvings had been produced by the Jah Hut and Mah Meri to merit an exhibition of 82 pieces at the National Art Gallery in Kuala Lumpur. This was followed by a second exhibition two years later. Since then Jah Hut and Mah Meri wood carvings have been exhibited in Germany, Australia, and India.

Mr Ratos himself is an avid collector of these spirit-charged wood sculptures and masks, and over the decades he has acquired nearly 600 exquisite examples of Orang Asli artistry.

The Anthony Ratos collection of Jah Hut and Mah Meri wood carvings is truly a national heritage of immeasurable worth. As we enter a new millennium, it is fitting that this unique artistic, cultural, and anthropological treasure be shared with the widest possible audience.

The Anthony Ratos Collection

Who is Anthony Ratos?

In 1952, as a trainee teacher at Kirkby College, U.K., Anthony Ratos chose to write his thesis on the aboriginal peoples of Malaya. He described them as "Orang Asli" (original people). This was subsequently adopted as the generic term for all indigenous tribes in Peninsular Malaysia. His interest in and personal involvement with the Orang Asli did not end there. As an art teacher at Maxwell Secondary School, Kuala Lumpur, Ratos coordinated a two-year student project which yielded a book and a special exhibition on Orang Asli culture.

Genesis of a Wood Carving Tradition

Anthony Ratos kept buying finished wood sculptures from the Jah Hut. He offered his early collection for an exhibition at the National Art Gallery in 1960, followed by another two years later which showcased a few Mah Meri sculptures and masks. This is how the modern tradition of wood carving began among the Jah Hut and Mah Meri tribes.

Meanwhile, Ratos had become a successful entrepreneur, pioneering the latex glove industry in Malaysia and helping to establish a thriving medical franchise. A man of wide and varied interests, Anthony Ratos also collects peafowl and artifacts from little-known cultures. Over the decades he has written numerous newspaper articles and books on his lifelong love affair with the Orang Asli. Indeed, many of his weekends are still spent visiting Orang Asli friends in remote areas in his Frontera 4X4.

The Anthony Ratos Collection Seeks a Permanent Home

Today the Anthony Ratos collection of Jah Hut and Mah Meri sculptures and masks is worth literally millions. But its true worth as an artistic, cultural and anthropological legacy is immeasurable.
Mr Ratos has indicated his desire to hand the entire collection to any institution that can guarantee future generations the opportunity to be acquainted with these superb examples of Orang Asli artistry and provide a decent, permanent home for them.

One would think the National Art Gallery would be delighted to inherit the Anthony Ratos collection. The reality on the ground is disturbing indeed. Our cultural bureaucrats are extremely timid when it comes to embracing Orang Asli culture, mainly because it is rooted in what they consider paganism (which isn't part of "Malay culture" in their books).

The next best solution, one would think, would be the new Orang Asli Museum (reportedly constructed at a staggering cost of RM33 million and officially opened in June 2000) located miles from the city center in Gombak, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. On closer look, however, it soon becomes evident that the ones entrusted with the responsibility of documenting and preserving Orang Asli culture are, in fact, embarrassed by and often antagonistic to it. Which may explain why the museum is almost inaccessible to the casual visitor, located as it is in an area where public transport is scarce.

Colin Nicholas, director of the Center for Orang Asli Concerns, once remarked to me that JAKOA shows scant interest in educating the Orang Asli about their own traditions. The fact that a librarian assigned to the Orang Asli museum (ironically renamed Museum JAKOA in 2013) was a school dropout who never studied beyond Primary Six vividly illustrates their cavalier attitude towards Orang Asli affairs.

[Most of the photos were taken from Google Images. If you happen to know the photographers, kindly leave a comment here & I shall duly include credits. First posted 5 May 2014]

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Notes from an exhibition of Orang Asli wood sculptures I co-curated in 2000

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"A myth is a projection of an aspect of a culture's soul. In its complex but revealing symbolism, a myth is to a culture what a dream is to an individual." ~ David Adams Leeming, A Dictionary of Creation Myths (1994) What is animism all about? What exactly does a pagan believe?

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJPIS-O7z98