July 2012 - Crafthub

Contents
2Editorial
3 A Word from
the SCC
4Melanau
Basketry
6
Gerai Orang Asli
8 Craft Revival
Trust
10 Paper Making
in Bhutan
12Kraftangan
14Ethnic-costumed
dolls
17 A Page of History
19 What’s On
19 Shopping with
Annie Teo
Stand Up and Be Counted!
Visitors from other countries, while admiring our handicrafts, often
ask a question that’s hard to answer:
A very few feature email addresses, and hand-phone numbers are
notoriously changeable.
‘How many people are actually busy doing these crafts, these arts,
in Sarawak?’
To be really useful, such a Directory needs to be regularly
updated, and it should be available online. Unless there are funds
for reprinting a new booklet every year or two, such information
quickly becomes irrelevant.
The short answer is: we don’t really know.
There is a considerable number of artisans – weavers, basketplaiters and mat-makers, wood-carvers, bead-workers, bark-cloth
manufacturers and processors, embroiderers – who are skilled at
their craft. Many of them practise it just as a hobby, on and off, if
there’s nothing better to do.
Very few of them teach younger folk.
On page 8 of this magazine, there is some information about the
Craft Revival Trust in India. This organization has come up with
something we might do well to emulate in Sarawak. On the CRT
web site, there is ‘… a constantly expanding Encyclopaedia
featuring information on the makers, the techniques, processes
and vocabulary of the intangible cultural heritage of South Asia.
This encyclopaedia also provides a listing of museums and
organisations dedicated to the conservation and promotion of this
sector, case studies of prior experiments in cultural and socioeconomic development, a bibliography, and a glossary of terms,
useful links, amongst many other features…’
Such an index would be of great interest here, too, especially if
it listed both active (regularly producing) craftspeople, and those
who have the skill and the knowledge but may be ‘in retirement’
for whatever reason.
The Sarawak Craft Council published a Handicraft Directory a few
years ago. This is a very useful compilation, arranged per craft,
with such contact details as were available at the time of printing.
There is a real need for a comprehensive, exact and constantly
updated Artisans’ Directory (or whatever it should be called) that
is available on-line.
Compiling such a Directory appears to be a project that would be
ideally suited to a group of those ‘unemployed graduates’ we hear
so much about. Newly out of college, they have all the requisite
computer skills. They have been taught research techniques, they
know how to arrange and filter information suitable for a web page.
Ideally, an Artisans’ Directory would be sorted into easily accessible
categories, such as
• Craft: the individual techniques and skills applied to make
artifacts
• Material: reeds and rattan, wood, bark, metal, ceramic, glass
etc
• Name: the artisan’s name, or names if they work in a group
• Contact: address, phone number, email, Facebook
• Region: craft-workers in and around Kuching, around Kapit,
around Miri etc
• Scope: one-person outfit? Co-operative? Small-medium
Enterprise? Hobbyist?
The person seeking information may be a journalist, a scholar, an
international buyer, a tourist; they all will find what they need to
know quickly, and without too much wasted time and travelling.
Our craftspeople will ultimately benefit by being better known,
better promoted, and more easily accessible.
CRAFTS is published by Crafthub Sdn. Bhd. for the Sarawak Craft Council (SCC). Opinions expressed by contributors to CRAFTS are not necessarily those of the SCC
or Crafthub.
The contents of CRAFTS may not be reproduced in any medium without prior written permission.
Feedback is always welcome, write to us at the address below, email: crafthub@gmail.com or visit our website: www.crafthub.com.my.
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/CrafthubBorneo
Would you like your craft event to appear in our What’s On… free listing? Would you like to advertise at very reasonable rates? Then email the Editor with details to:
crafthub@gmail.com
Editor: Heidi Munan
Publication Manager: Rosenah Ahmad
Contributors: Heidi Munan, Parbiyah Bachik, Reynold Ahviet, Annie Teo, Uwin Udih, Reita Rahim, Ranjana Mohan
Printed by Bahagia Press Sdn Bhd, Lot 225 Section 49, Jln Padungan Utara, 93100 Kuching
Published by Crafthub Sdn Bhd, 1st Floor, 96 Main Bazaar, 93000 Kuching
ISSN 1985-7357
Cover image: Mdm. Esther Sired of Kampung Semabas working on “bark cloth” © copyright
Sarawak Craft Council, Sarawak Handicraft Centre, Round Tower, Lot 32 Sect 25 KTLD,
Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak
tel 60 82 245 652, 252 241, fax 60 82 420 253
e-mail : beatricekedoh@yahoo.com
website : sarawakhandicraft.com
2
Published for SCC by:
Crafthub Sdn.Bhd, First Floor, No.96 Main Bazaar, 93000 Kuching Sarawak Malaysia.
tel: 60 82 421 346 fax: 60 82 614 622 email: crafthub@gmail.com website: www.crafthub.com.my
A word from...
The Sarawak Craft Council
by Reynold Ahviet
Miri Jazz Festival 2012
Hola! We meet again for the second issue for 2012. It has been
a splendid year for us so far, with a few activities happening
especially in April and May to keep us occupied.
One of the activities that SCC participated in was a study
trip to the National Craft Day in Kuala Lumpur. This was a
national level arts and crafts expo organised by the Malaysian
Handicraft Development Corporation. The event was held from
22 to 25 March, and a team of craftspeople from Sarawak was
selected for the trip. Most of the craftspeople invited for this
trip are those who have shown their potential in the local crafts
industry. The objective of inviting them to the Crafts Day was to
encourage and inspire new upcoming craftspeople of Sarawak
in their work.
From 30 March to 1 April the SCC team was in Penang for
the Penang World Music Festival. The Festival was held at the
Botanical Gardens of the Penang Quarry Recreational Park.
There were music performances by international groups.
The Bazaar area was filled with many kinds of food, drinks,
merchandise and handicrafts. Our Penan bangles were certainly
the hot items at the crafts section. That was certainly a fun way
of promoting Sarawak arts and crafts to a new audience in
Penang.
Penang World Music Festival 2012
After Penang, our subsequent trip took us to the Federal Territory
of Labuan off the coast of Sabah, where we attended the annual
Labuan Water Sports Festival. This year it was held from 27 – 29
April.
Together with other government agencies in various fields
SCC this time took the opportunity to showcase and highlight
Sarawak’s native handicrafts to folks in Labuan. It was a hot
weekend. But despite the heat, countless curious people flocked
to our booth marvelling at the crafts, particularly at our beads.
Bead bangles were sold out during the first night! The success
was due to the fact that handicrafts are hard to find in Labuan –
you have to go to Kota Kinabalu to get them.
After months of promoting Sarawak handicrafts in other states,
now it is time to be home again. For the first time ever, the
Borneo Jazz Festival in Miri (held from 11 – 12 May) had its craft
bazaar this year. The two-day event took place on the beach
at the Parkcity Everly Hotel. Participants include Miri crafts
entrepreneurs. The crafts exhibition was a huge success. The
Festival drew almost 8,000 people. Just imagine how much the
crafts people made during the two evenings of the Festival!
That is all for now and thank you again for staying true to our
Crafts Newsletter. We hope you will enjoy reading all the articles
that are featured in this issue.
The Sarawak Craft Council
The SCC promotes the State’s ethnic handicrafts, both to preserve a
priceless artistic heritage and to improve the artisans’ livelihood. The
predominantly rural craftworkers now have a realistic option to augment
their income from agriculture.
The Craft Council coordinates the activities of government and private
entities involved in handicraft development in Sarawak.
Mission Statement
The Sarawak Craft Council provides leadership in the development and
enhancement of the handicaft industry in Sarawak.
Objective
To develop the handicraft industry into a more coordinated and
progressive enterprise that will complement the needs of the tourism
industry.
Our guest of honour, Toh Puan
Datuk Patinggi Hajah Norkiah
The SCC building above, situated next to The Old Courthouse in Kuching, has a quality crafts shop on the ground floor which is open from 8.30am-4.30pm, Monday to Friday.
Our fashion show!
3
3
Melanau Crafts Exhibition
Melanau Handicrafts
by Uwin Udih
The Melanau people are found in the central region of Sarawak:
depending on the type of item to be produced. Other craft
in Mukah, Sibu, Sarikei and Kapit. There are slight regional
materials are found deep in the jungle, such as rattan and certain
differences in
dialect, customs, arts and cultural
leaves. Another common material is bemban for making mats.
heritage. One good example is the art of basket weaving. The
Bemban is found in secondary jungles or in swampy areas near
number of Melanau craft makers may have decreased, but
the villages.
terms of
they still produce many types of impressive-looking and useful
plaited items.
Normally, craft makers are women. But Melanau men also play
a role in the handicraft industry. Both men and women are
MUKAH HANDICRAFTS
involved in the production of serahang: the men collect and
Mukah basketry is different from what is made in other districts,
help prepare the raw materials while women do the weaving. A
in form, pattern and variety. This was evident during the Kaul
serahang is basically the basket made from the outer skin of the
Mukah Festival 2012 which was held from 21-29 April at Kuala
petiole of the sago palm frond, supported on a bamboo stand.
Dana Beach. Woven handicrafts and cut-out palm leaves were
The whole thing is decorated with plaited and cut-out tetilip,
used as decoration, and other impressive-looking items were
made from the new leaves and other parts of the palm.
put on display at the exhibition booths. This annual tourism
event of Kaul Mukah has provided a good opportunity for the
Dalin Simang, an 80-year-old lady from Kampung Jebungan,
craft-makers of Mukah Division to showcase their products and
is an expert handicraft maker. She is unstinting in sharing
to show their skills. The handicrafts and decorations also add
her skills with the younger generation including her own
colour to the Kaul Festival.
daughters, granddaughters and great-granddaughters. She was
the principal instructor at a two-day workshop on tetilip and
Some of the handicrafts on display are used for ceremonial
Serahang, organized by the Majilis Adat Istiadat Sarawak from
purposes. For example, the serahang, a decorated basket, is
17-18 March 2012 at the Integration hall of Kpg Jebungan
used as a container for offerings during certain ceremonies.
Mukah District. There were 30 participants. The Head of the
Other items are made just for decoration or for household use.
Melanau Section of MAIS, Hat Hoklai, was happy with the
Many old-time items are no longer made. They have become
success of the workshop and hoped to hold other workshops
redundant due to the appearance of new things that serve the
focusing on other handicrafts. “This is a critical area, as the
same purpose and are cheaper.
reliable informants and source of important information are
now ageing,” he said.
RAW MATERIALS
The raw materials for basketry are cheap or free of charge
On 19 April 2012, the Mukah Melanau Association (MMA)
if you know where to get them. The stems, leaves and other
organised a serahang making competition at Kuala Dana beach
parts of sago, nipah and coconut palms and bamboo are used
during the Kaul Mukah 2012. There were 19 participants – 18
4
MAIS workshop participants. Hat Hoklai 5th from the right
Palm leaf decorating
Raising the Serahang
women and a man. MMA hoped that the competition would
help promote the art of weaving among the younger generation
Most Melanau handicrafts are used as kitchenware, containers
for processing sago, traps for catching fish and prawns, and
sieves for drying fish and prawns. These items have quality
and are durable. Among the items for daily use are: takuong
(a bamboo container used for sieving), paka (container for
drying), nyirok (used for separating the husk from rice), babat (a
frame with many holes for drying food and also for decoration),
and kejangan (for making pearl sago).The takuong is made of
bamboo, while paka, babat, and nyirok are made of the outer
skin of the petiole of the sago frond. Kejangan is made from the
new leaves of the nipah palm. Some of these items are multipurpose: a small takuong can be used as a sieve or or as a
container for drying fish, meat or vegetables; a medium-sized
takuong is used for making sago pearls; and the bigger ones
are used for catching fish and prawns in the shallow parts of
Raising the Serahang
the river.
is done to promote them. The present Melanau generation
The Melanau handicrafts have not been commercialised yet.
should play their role in the preservation of the rich Melanau
Except for the exhibition at the annual Kaul Mukah, not much
cultural heritage.
5
High-tech Heritage:
Harnessing social media to
promote heritage crafts
by Reita Rahim
A cursory glance at many handicraft stores throughout Malaysia
unfortunately reveals limited made-in-Malaysia handicrafts; buyers
are often overwhelmed by cheap mass-produced crafts from
neighbouring countries. What is genuinely made in Malaysia can
look homogenous at times, a situation fostered by sellers who
prefer cheap yet profitable items. This pressures our local artisans
into producing a limited range of crafts as traders are not willing to
pay high prices which eat into their profit margins.
So what has happened to Malaysia’s rich craft heritage?
Malaysia still has a good range of traditional crafts, well hidden
from potential buyers. There are many good artisans throughout the
country but their work rarely reaches the lucrative urban market,
due to high costs, logistical problems, exploitative middlemen,
poor marketing methods and even ignorance of buyers and sellers
about such crafts.
Here’s where Gerai OA (Indigenous Peoples Stall) comes in.
As a volunteer-run stall, we put a lot of work into seeking out
and documenting heritage crafts of the Orang Asal, Malaysia’s
indigenous minorities. Potentially saleable crafts are then identified
and artisans aided to re-purpose heritage crafts for a contemporary
market.
Since 2004, volunteers have helped numerous indigenous artisans
in rural areas to not only earn a decent supplementary income
from their skills but also to expose a new generation to appreciate
crafts which were once commonplace. As our mission is to
promote traditional knowledge, we return 100% of the sales price
of each craft to the artisan, their businesses or non-govermental
organizations (NGOs).
Gerai OA itself is neither a charity nor an NGO; we do not seek or
receive any funding. Our Volunteers work for free; we do not own
a shop. We only open a mobile stall when offered rent-free sites.
We have learned to utilize social media to not only sell crafts but
also to educate the buying public about the plight of indigenous
minorities in Malaysia.
Many of our Volunteers are young and tech-savvy. To disseminate
information to a web-connected generation, they use media tools,
like Facebook.
Facebook is a great tool and it’s free. It is not only accessible to
urban buyers but also to many in rural areas. Our artisans are proud
to be featured on Gerai OA’s page. Their children or grandchildren
often find it amusing to view crafts their elders make, online.
Gerai OA has no permanent sales premises. Facebook and e-mail
mailing lists are a great way for Volunteers to inform the public of
where our mobile stall will turn up next.
A bulukun (“pangolin”) basket, made from Lygodium sp. fern fibre and rattan. This
rare basket is only made by Dominic Surad (60s), a paraplegic Dusun man from
Kiulu, Sabah.
6
Photography is also a vital tool. Volunteers often photo-document
heritage crafts: the raw materials, how an item is made, and the
artisans who make it. These digital photo archives are invaluable
not only to researchers but also to the public who are offered
glimpses into the lives our indigenous minorities.
Social media sites are really useful to help disseminate information about heritage crafts and the people who make them. This is Gerai OA’s Facebook page, set up in 2008.
We’ve uploaded photo journals of the taxing journeys Volunteers
undertake to bring heritage crafts back to Kuala Lumpur. This helps
educate our mostly urban buyers about the lives of rural Malaysians.
For many, it is an eye-opening experience.
information is on the brown tags found on each item. And now,
with Facebook, buyers have the option to look up in the different
photo folders to see what each artisan looks like.
Video is a new tool for Gerai OA. It allows buyers to see how
traditional musical instruments are played or how traditional IQ
puzzles solved, which is especially useful for those gifting such
items to far-away friends and family. Our tech-savvy Volunteers have
helped upload several videos onto YouTube so buyers can google
key words such as “pensol” (a Semai nose-flute) or “pintarbuluh” (a
Bidayuh bamboo IQ puzzle) to view these videos online.
Uploading photo journals of our trips into the interiors on Facebook is a great way
for viewers to see how those in the interior live and the challenges in getting their
crafts to market.
The “backstories” series focus on a single craft each, revealing the
artisans and their stories. We need to justify the fair trade prices
we seek for our artisans, and to give our Volunteers a ready answer
when people try to bargain. The “Each Craft has a Story” series
has also educated our customers about the long process needed
to tweak and repurpose traditional crafts –which often takes a year
per craft item.
Uploading photo journals of our trips into the interiors on Facebook is a great way
for viewers to see how those in the interior live and the challenges in getting their
crafts to market.
Most of the heritage crafts Gerai OA helps to sell are made in
limited, sustainable quantities. There are fewer skilled artisans, and
there’s a shortage of raw materials due to deforestation. What we
lack in quantity we more than make up for in quality; discerning
buyers and collectors prefer it this way.
All in all, not being able to afford a dedicated website and having
a limited working budget has not been a hindrance to marketing
heritage crafts. Gerai OA Volunteers just worked around the
problem. We’ve managed to revive and repurpose heritage crafts
from all over Malaysia, and use free social media tools to educate
our buyers about heritage crafts, the artisans who produce them,
and the rich lives they lead.
We also believe in creating long-term relationships. We help
buyers “connect” with the rural artisans they are buying from; the
You can read up more about Gerai OA or view their photo journals
at their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/geraioa
7
CRAFT
REVIVAL
TRUST
knowledgeable network from across the world and is recognized
for its width of topics and authentic texts. As a current and opensource platform, the journal also serves as a forum for advocacy and
empowerment and is now widely acknowledged as a platform for
The Craft Revival Trust (CRT) was established in India in 1999. It is a change.
non-profit organization, dedicated to collecting and disseminating
information about crafts, and the artisans who manufacture these This is just a short ‘take’ on an active, progressive organization
products.
dedicated to promoting Craft. Find out more at www.craftrevival.org
CRT holds regular workshops at large public venues, such as the
Dastakar’s Nature Bazaar, and in schools where young students
and educators are immersed in ‘hands-on’ projects. Some of the
recent workshops included ‘Dying with Waste from the Kitchen’,
‘Hand-made Paper-making from old notebooks and newspapers’,
and ‘Jewelry-making.’
CRT’s reach, besides it home base India, includes Bangladesh,
Bhutan, India, Laos, the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The Craft Revival Trust takes the view that access to knowledge
through mapping and documentation is the basis of safeguarding
the intangible heritage of crafts, textiles, folk and tribal arts and the
bearers of the oral knowledge systems.
Over the last 12 years, CRT has collected contact details of over
60,000 artisans, weavers and craftspeople, working in all parts of
India at over 800 different crafts. This is the first database of this
kind.
The CRT’s web site comprises a constantly expanding Encyclopaedia
featuring information on the makers, the techniques, processes and
vocabulary of the intangible cultural heritage of South Asia. This
encyclopaedia also provides a listing of museums and organisations
dedicated to the conservation and promotion of this sector, case
studies of prior experiments in cultural and socio-economic
development, a bibliography, and a glossary of terms, useful links,
amongst many other features.. The site is considered to be one of
the largest available archives of its kind online.
The CRT site also hosts a Quarterly Journal dedicated to bringing
new thought, information and work in the realm of the intangible
heritage to the fore. The content is sourced from a wide, credible and
Artwork by Pradyumna Kumar
Note: The article on paper making in Bhutan, reprinted in the present issue of CRAFTS (pp 10-11) is from this source. (ed)
Come visit MPH Bookstores at the Spring, Kuching. Look here for books on
Crafts, Borneo Heritage and many more...
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Lot 114, 1st Floor The Spring Shopping Mall, Jalan Simpang Tiga, 93350 Kuching,
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9
By Ranjana Mohan
In Bhutan, paper-making was a cottage industry activity. Paper
Daphne paper has a natural dark woody tone, is highly durable,
was made entirely by hand from the bark of the Daphne plant and
and can last up to 2,000 years. Ivory-coloured paper is made from
gum from the roots of a creeper plant. Often the Daphne bark was
the strong inner bark. It is stripped, cleaned and then processed.
mixed with the barks of other plants to produce different varieties
The Daphne fibre has tremendous tensile strength and, like elastic,
of paper. What makes the Daphne paper special is its luminosity
can be coiled, twisted and turned without breaking.
and texture. Termite and other insects are repelled by the Daphne.
For this reason, in the old days, it was particularly valued as a
The Edgeworthis papyrifera sieh, belonging to the same plant
durable writing material for religious texts and historical records.
family as the Daphne, is found at the height of 1,000 to 2,000 feet,
and is also used for making paper. This paper is lighter in colour,
ORIGINS AND TRADITIONS
softer and less glossy in appearance. It also has less strength and
The history of the handmade paper tradition of Bhutan can be traced
durability compared to the Daphne paper.
back to the eight century. It was said that the technique came from
Chine via Tibet, brought over ancient trade routes to Nepal and
During the production process, the bark and roots of other climber
Bhutan. Even today, these Himalayan countries continue to share
plants and other ingredients are added for colouring the paper.
the traditional method of making and using hand-made paper from
Flowers, leaves, ferns, fern moss, wood moss, parts of the banana
the Daphne plant.
plant, betel-nut and maize leaves are added to make decorative
floral paper. The gum is obtained from a creeper plant.
PRODUCTION AREAS
Paper was first made in northern, central and eastern Bhutan where
PROCESSING AND PAPER-MAKING TECHNIQUE
the Daphne plant is found in abundance. The Bhutan paper-
Daphne is harvested only during the summer months (March
making industry has undergone rapid modernisation and is now
to October). The inner bark is stripped and dried immediately.
mechanized. This has eliminated a lot of laborious work by hand,
This debarking work takes place from March to April. The paper
and increased the scale of the operation of the paper-producers.
manufacturers buy Daphne and other barks in their dried form.
In Thimpu, large establishments using equipment from Japan are
producing fine quality paper and paper products and exporting
The paper-makers clean the bark and cut it into small pieces. The
them to places all over the world. Daphne paper is now produced
pieces are then boiled for a couple of hours. Wood ash is added
in Thimpu, Tashigang, Punakha, Bumthang and Mongyr districts,
to the water to speed up the cooking process. This makes the
and Gedu.
fibres soft and pliable to make it easier to reduce them to pulp.
No chemicals are added. After the cooking process, the fibres are
RAW MATERIALS
sorted and put under running water to clean them and to drain
The Himalayas are the natural habitat of the high-altitude Daphne
away any remaining impurities.
plant, which belongs to the Thymelaeacae family. There are 70
varieties of Daphne and they grow in altitudes ranging from 1,500
After the cleaning, the fibres are pounded by hand to make a
feet to 10,000 feet above sea level. The Daphne is a shrub, about
pulp, though pounding machinery is available nowadays. Water is
five to six feet tall, with fragrant white flowers. The plant is harvested
added to further loosen and break up the fibres into a finer pulp.
by cutting the whole bush, and leaving a “stump” of 6-8 inches to
During the beating process, colour is added for making coloured
grow new shoots. The regeneration of the plant takes about four to
paper. Brown colour is obtained from walnut bark, orange from the
eight years, after which it is ready to be harvested again. madder plant, etc.
10
Steps of making finished paper
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
8
10
11
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13
14
15
16
The pulp is pounded thoroughly in wooden troughs, to make it soft
frame containing the bamboo mesh screen is vigorously shaken
and homogenous in texture. Water is added in sufficient quantity
after which the paper-maker lifts it out of the water and spreads the
to ensure the mixture is of the required consistency. Any dirt or
pulp over the surface of the screen. The screen is then turned over,
foreign body in the pulp is removed. After this, the pulp is ready
and the paper sheet that has formed on it drops off and is stacked
for making paper.
on a growing pile of freshly made sheets of paper. The mesh leaves
a bamboo imprint on the sheet. At the end of the day, a heavy
TWO METHODS OF MAKING THE FINISHED PAPER
stone is placed on the pile of paper sheets to press out the water
RESHO: This method is used throughout the Himalayas for
overnight. The next day, the sheets are peeled off layer by layer and
producing “cotton paper”. The processed pulp is poured onto a
stuck to the earthen walls of a hut built for this purpose. By the end
cotton screen enclosed in a wooden frame for sieving. The pulp
of the day the sheets are dry and fall off the wall. Today, they have
is spread evenly on the cotton surface of the screen that floats in
dryers to dry the sheets.
water. This maneuver requires dexterity and practice. The frame
with the pulp on the screen is then lifted from the water and left
DAPHNE PAPER PRODUCTS
to dry in the sun for half a day. If the weather is wet and cold the
Daphne paper repels insects, it is durable, glossy, smooth, soft and
drying is done by placing the frames around wood-fires. Once dry,
good for recycling. In its un-dyed form the paper is very attractive
the paper sheet is peeled off from the screen mould and it is ready
because of its natural ivory appearance and its silken texture.
for use. Resho paper is thinner and cheaper than tsarsho paper.
The paper is now used to produce more contemporary products
TSARSHO: This method of paper-making is only used in Bhutan.
such as greeting cards, stationery sets, notebooks, photo album, gift
It produces tsarsho or “bamboo paper”. A screen made of slim
wrapping paper, files, bags, envelopes, photo frames, postcards,
bamboo mat/sticks is lowered into the vat of pulp; the wooden
lamp-shades and calendars.
11
VERSATILE BATIK
By Parbiyah Bachik
Batik is a generic term which refers to the process of dyeing fabrics
through the use of a resist technique where a piece of cloth is
decorated with wax designs and dyed with vibrant colours. The
design and materials used to create batik have contributed to the
overwhelming demand and popularity of this textile form. The
diverse application of batik fabrics has established this Malaysian
art form as a fresh source of inspiration in the world of fashion.
The motifs depicted in batik designs have largely been inspired
by nature, consisting of forms derived from flora or fauna, as
well as geometrical patterns. Batik defines the refinement of
Malaysia ’s cultural and artistic heritage. Today, the most popular
batik producing techniques in the country include hand drawing
designs, stamping and the use of silkscreen.
HISTORY
The Beginning…
Batik production is thought to have begun as early as the 12th
century in Java, Indonesia. The art of batik later spread to the
Malay Peninsula, particularly in Kelantan and Terengganu. Since
then, batik has become the principal means of artistic expression for
many areas of Malaysia and a deeply integrated facet of Malaysian
culture. It is not surprising then that Malaysia has emerged as one
of the world’s leading batik producers in terms of techniques and
designs.
The Contemporary touch
Modern Malaysian batik has brighter hues and a wider range
of motifs and designs. It employs bright, soft and warm colours
with a harmonious touch. In order to meet global tastes, local
batik designers have embellished Malaysian batik with innovative
creations and designs.
Exclusive Creations…
Malaysian batik is versatile, parading an endless choice of designs,
colours, materials and techniques. Embellished with fanciful
designs, and rich vibrant colours, batik ia now used also for home
furnishings, or for making gift and souvenir items.
Batik attire has long had its place as Malaysia’s official national
costume. Today, contemporary eye-catching patterns adapted
from age-old design methods have reached new destinations - the
catwalk, the office and formal occasions.
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TYPES OF BATIK
The Stamped Batik - These are amongst the better-known batik
forms in Malaysia. Pieces of wooden blocks with embossed pattern
are stamped on the fabric using natural based pigment. This early
technique is also known as block stamping.
The designs are fixed and applied repeatedly using one or two
colours. The invention of the block revolutionised the production
of stamped batik. Metal block is more durable and is capable of
producing more elaborate motifs. For a sarong, separate stamps
are required for the different section of a sarong. The stamping
technique is capable of producing high quality designs and
intricate patterns.
Today, hand-printed batik is still being manufactured in the east
coast states of Terengganu and Kelantan. While many producers
still make sarongs, some have diversified into making yardage for
home furnishing. The type of cloth used has also diversified, from
cotton to various types of fabrics such as silk and organza.
Batik Canting – or hand drawn batik refers to the way the cloth
is coloured using brushes (as opposed to immersion dyeing). The
cloth is first stretched taut on a purpose-built metal frame. Wax is
applied freehand using a pen-like waxing implement called the
canting. The different waxed sections are coloured in by hand,
allowing for subtle colour gradations and blends.
A wider variety of cloth such as cotton, rayon, voile and silk are
used by the batik producers. The types of motifs and designs
vary though most are vegetal or geometrical in nature; these are
often dictated by current fashion trends. While men dominate the
production of hand-printed batik, women seem to excel in both
the waxing and dyeing of hand-drawn batik.
Hand-drawn batik is usually made as kain pasang (a paired sarong
and tunic for women) or for formal wear for men. The very fluidity
of hand-drawn batik also enables it to be fashioned into leisure
wear such as pareos, caftans and shawls. Recently, artistically
inclined batik producers/artisans have taken to creating batik
paintings which are sold as framed art.
The combination of age-old waxing techniques with a contemporary
touch has created products which appeal to both domestic and
export markets. For example, today, canting batik has even begun
appearing as part of home furnishing or interior decor.
Screen Printed Batik is also known as stencil batik or silk-screen
batik. This type of batik refers to the technique of sketching and
stencilling the design, which is done on a screen made of polyester
that is pulled taut on a stretcher. The motifs are drawn on the screen
that has been pre-sized. Normally several layers are prepared with
different designs. This is so that each layer has only one design. The
screen is then placed on a white cloth for the colouring process.
The whole colouriing process is done several times to produce the
integrated designs and colours for each batik piece.
Traditional Batik
Artist at work
Brush work
The Sarawak Tourism Federation
Always
Authentic
supports
Sarawak Handicrafts
MAIN BAZAAR, 93000 KUCHING, P.O. BOX 887, 93718, KUCHING.
TEL: 082 240620, FAX: 082 427151, EMAIL: stfsara@streamyx.com, Website: www.stf.org.my
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Aban
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by Heidi Munan
The colourful array of Sarawak’s traditional costumes is something
to be proud of! Students of sartorial culture find endless interest
in the way old and new components are combined, how some
parts are discarded and new ones are adopted. The annual Gawai
festival (1 – 3 June) is the place to look for ‘glamour-traditional’
versions of costumes, some of which would amaze the good folk
who posed for photos, reluctantly, in the 19th century.
The basic item of clothing for most of Sarawak’s indigenous groups
used to be an oblong piece of handwoven cotton fabric, tucked,
draped and sometimes stitched to make loin cloths for the men,
skirts for the ladies, and straight-sided vests. The coastal people
who had more contact with seafarers soon adopted finer fabrics,
long sarongs or trousers, and tunics with sleeves. This, more or less,
was the picture 150 years ago.
Knitted Dolls
14
A local designer and craftworker, herself the descendant of a long
line of frugal housewives who sewed and knitted most of their
families’ clothing, has recently taken a new look at an old tradition.
Why not translate the essence of Sarawak’s lovely costumes into
knitting, and dolls?
It is actually surprising that there are hardly any ‘native-costumed’
dolls in the market. To make them realistically correct in every
detail might be too costly in work-hours and wages; we do not
have the pool of cheap labour that turns out costumed dolls in
other regional countries.
The designer got out her knitting pins and set to work. After a few
bungled attempts, she decided on a human figure reduced to a
basic cylinder, dressed in a stylized version of local costume. The
finished dolls have neither arms nor legs. Only 15 cm high, they are
stuffed with kapok and weighted with a pebble in the ‘foot’ so they
can stand upright. Doll, costume and most adornments are knitted –
‘I decided against adding cloth appliqué and the like, for the sake
of material integrity’, the designer told CRAFTS.
At the time of writing, the close-knit Sarawak family consists of
Iban, Malay, Bidayuh, Melanau, Chinese and Orang Ulu couples,
plus one Kelabit and one Lun Bawang lady.
The Iban wear … not a lot: he sports an ikat loincloth and some
beads, she goes topless with an ikat skirt, a bead collar and a silver
head-comb. The Bidayuh wear dark blue picked out with red and
white; he wears a triangular head-cloth, she a Jagoi-type cap with a
streamer. The Malay gentleman sports a tartan sarong, a plain shirt
and songkok, his lady stands demure in a dark baju kurong, a goldbrocade sarong and the traditional veil of gold-embroidered voile.
The Melanau lady wears the same basic items, with large silver
Towkay and Nyonya Ong (Chinese)
Abang Galau and his good Dayang (Melanau)
buttons on her baju kurong, and a beaded hem; her husband’s
head-covering is a tightly wrapped piece of batik cloth. The Chinese
gentleman wears a long robe and a black hat with a red button, and
a long, thin queue down his back; the prosperous Nyonya wears
a pastel-coloured batik sarong and shuts her voile blouse with
gold pins. The Orang Ulu man is comfortable in a loincloth, and a
natty hat with a quarter-brim fore and aft topped with a feather; his
lady prefers a sarong-kebaya suit, worn with beads, and a beaded
Mdm Yamu and Mdm Kijang (Lun Bawang and Kelabit)
Keling and Kumang (Iban)
head-band. The Lun Bawang and Kelabit ladies stick to the Nyonya
fashion but establish their identity with hats made of yellow and
orange beads respectively.
The Close-knit Sarawak Family may be inspected at the Museum
Café, at the right side of the entrance of the ‘New Museum’ as most
people call the Dewan Tun Abdul Razak.
Ribu Balan and Mdm.Lah (Orang ULu)
Borneo International
Beads Conference 2011 Journal
Some copies of the BIBCO Journal are still available. At our office in Kuching
it is sold at RM 45.By Registered Airmail anywhere in Malaysia, RM 60.- Registered Airmail
anywhere on earth, US$ 40.To order, send us an email at crafthub@gmail.com
journ
al
nal
natio
o Inter
2011
Borne onference
C
s
d
Bea
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16
A Page of History
GOMES Edwin H; SEA DAYAKS OF BORNEO, Seeley & Company, London 1911, pp 49 – 50
Boat Making, Borneo
called kadjangs, which make a very good covering, as they are
at once watertight, very light, easily adjusted, and so flexible
that if necessary each section can be rolled up and stored in the
bottom of the boat.
The kadjangs are made of the young leaves of the nipa palm.
The leaves are sewn together with split cane, each alternate leaf
overlapping its neighbour on either side, until a piece about six
and a half feet square is made. This section is made to bend in
the middle crosswise, so that it can be doubled and rolled up,
or partly opened, and made to serve as a roof. Sometimes the
kadjangs are made from the leaves of the pandanus palm.
‘House-building is considered the work of the men, and another
important work the men have to do is the making of boats. These are
of all sizes, from the dug-out canoe twelve feet long to the long warboat eighty to ninety feet in length.
The ordinary boats of the Dyaks are cut out of a single log. Some of
my schoolboys, under the guidance of the native schoolmaster, once
made a small canoe for their own use, so I saw the whole process. A
tree having a round straight stem was felled, and the desired length
of trunk cu off. The outside was then shaped with the adze to take
the desired form of a canoe. The inside was hollowed out. The next
thing to do was to widen the inside of this canoe. This was done by
filling the boat with water and making a fire under it, and by fastening
weights to each side. When the shell had been sufficiently opened
out, thwarts were placed inside, about two feet from each other, to
prevent the wood shrinking when the wood dried. The stem and stern
of the canoe are alike, both being pointed and curved, and rising out
of the water. The only tool used for the making of a boat of this kind is
the Dyak axe or adze (bliong).
This is the usual type of Dyak boat, and the method of making a
smaller or larger canoe is exactly the same. Even a war-boat, ninety
feet long, is mad from the trunk of one tree. In the longer boats planks
or gunwales are stitched on the sides, and the seams are caulked so as
to render the boat watertight. These boats are covered with awnings
To propel these boats the Dyaks use paddles about three feet
or more in length. The paddle used by the steersman is larger
than those used by the others, and the women use much smaller
paddles than the men. These dug-out boats draw very little water,
and are easily handled, and may be propelled at a good pace.
The principal tools the Dyaks have for their work are the duku
and bliong. The duku is a short, thick sword, or rather a chopping
knife, about two feet in length. The blades is either curved, or
else quite straight. The handle is beautifully carved, and is made
of hard wood or of horn. … the bliong is the axe the Dyaks use
and is a most excellent tool. They forge it of European steel,
which they procure in bars. In shape it is like a small spade,
about two and a half inches wide, with a square shank. This is
set in a thin handle of hard wood, at the end of which there is a
woven pocket of can to receive it. The lower end of this handle
has a piece of light wood fixed to it to form a firm grip for the
hand. The bliong can be fixed in the handle at any angle, and is
therefore used as an axe or adze. With it the natives make their
boats, and cut planks and so much of their carpentering work.
The Dyak can cut down a great forest tree with a bliong in a very
short time.’
Edwin H. Gomes was born in Lundu, where his father was
missionary 1852 – 1867. Gomes later served in ‘outstation’
missions in Sarawak too. A fair-minded observer, he was thus in
a good position to describe the daily lives of the ‘Dyaks’ to the
outside world.
17
what’s on... in the world of crafts
MALAYSIA
KUCHING WEEKLY CRAFT MART
every Friday – Sunday at the Waterfront
MIRI PERMANENT CRAFT MART
at the Handicraft Centre, Brooke Road
HANDICRAFTS AND KNIT-IN
every Wednesday, 10 am, Sarawak Museum Cafe (New Museum)
8-17 July 2012,
FOLK ART FESTIVAL International,
Venue: Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Local and international artists showcase their views and
outlook on life through painted art in this festival that is part
of an international festival celebrating folklore from across
the globe. Wisma Budaya Building , Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
www.sabah.gov.my/artgallery/www.sabahtourism.com/sabahmalaysian-borneo/en/event/5150-folk-art-festival/
27 Sept - 8 Oct. 2012
TEXTILE CRAFT PROMOTION
Venue: Kuala Lumpur
This promotion showcases the beautiful textiles of Malaysia, such
as batik and other materials. Browse through the outlets selling a
variety of textiles and visit the exhibitions and demonstrations.
KUALA LUMPUR Craft Complex
www.kraftangan.gov.my/main/
24 Oct. 2012
PESTA GONG MATUNGGONG
Venue Kpg.Matunggong, Sabah
The gong is one of the quintessential musical instruments of
Sabah and is produced by craft makers at Sumangkap village in
Matunggong, Sabah
Email Contact : Firuz.Idzualdeen@sabah.gov.my
27 Oct - 05 Nov 2012
MALAYSIAN CRAFT PROMOTION
Venue: Sabah
This promotional event for Malaysian crafts will see
some 45 craft producers selling and showcasing their
products, as well as demonstrating how to make them.
Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation, Sabah Branch
Email Contact: mohammad@kraftangan.gov.my
AROUND THE WORLD
July 26 – 29, 2012
Australia’s favourite Craft & Quilt Fair
Melbourne Exhibition Centre,
2 Clarendon St., Southbank
Displays of handmade crafts, workshops so you can learn
something new and retail stands selling unique craft supplies. Be
inspired then buy all you need for your next craft project. www.
craftfair.com.au/Melbourne2012/
29 Sept - 01 Oct. 2012
ART FAIR EUROPE
Nuremberg Exhibition Centre,
Bayern,Germany
Art Fair Europe is located at the very heart of Europe and will
display a variety of innovative art products by several exhibitors
under one roof. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore
the new possibilities in the art sector and develop new ideas by
viewing the huge range of products.
October 17 – 21, 2012
Australia’s favourite Craft & Quilt Fair
Brisbane Exhibition Centre
Halls 3 & 4, Cnr Glenelg & Merivale Streets, Southbank www.
craftfair.com.au/Brisbane2012/
Thurs 18 – Sun 21 & Thurs 25 – Sun 28 October 2012
Abingdon Contemporary Crafts for Christmas Show
Medieval Abbey Buildings. Off Checker Walk. Abingdon.
OX14 3JB.
Held twice over 2 weeks, this four day event fully encapsulated
the image of a quality Crafts for Christmas show. Held in the
magnificent Medieval Abbey buildings, our exciting mix of
traditional and contemporary crafts made for a Christmas
shopping experience with a difference.
SHOPPING for crafts
with Annie Teo
The very first time I stepped into
Syn Ya’s, I suspected that Ali Baba
himself had come to Borneo and
stored many of his treasures inside
what looks like a mere five by twelve
meters shop in the midst of Kenyalang
Park. I still think I was right!
I have also come to believe that there is nothing they don’t
have. Whether you are into beading, costume jewellery making,
embroidery with DMC or ribbons, cross-stitch, felt craft, tailoring
or costume-designing; whether you have a special love for laces
or fancy metallic chains; and whether you need scissors or rotary
blades, glue or wooden rings; name it, they have it in there!
I can even recall that I once walked in holding the sample of a
cotton bias I use to complete my boutis work; right away, the sales
assistant made a bee-line to the end of the shop, knelt down,
disappeared underneath a low shelf and actually came out with
what I had been looking for!
The broad spectrum haberdashery has been making the joy of
crafters and tailors since 1975 and it has never lost its momentum.
When I turned-up un-announced the lady owner Sim Bee Kim was
not around; her son, Tan Hai Jinn was most gracious at answering
my questions.
When Mum came back I asked them both what they thought
made their shop different from other haberdasheries, they both
answered: “Our service.” Indeed, not only do they take care of
tailoring alterations and over-locking unfinished clothes, they are
very helpful to their customers.
SYN YA is at No.53, Kenyalang Shopping Centre, 93300 Kuching
Phone: 082-331003 email: synya75@gmail.com
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