CONTENTS
2
Editorial
3
A Word from
the SCC
4
Selayah
Keringkam
6
Ketupat
8
BIBCO Gala
Dinner
9
Nettle Fibre in
Nepal
10
RWCB 2011
12
Blind basketmakers in Sibu
14
BIBCo 2011
17
A Page of History
19
What’s On
19
Shopping with
De Gayantina
Thamrin
DON’T JUST WATCH-TRY IT!
In recent months, handicrafts have enjoyed quite a lot of
coverage in the local press. The various traditional festivals
usually feature crafts displays, but reporters tended to just
take a shot of the visiting VIP. Now we see good photos of the
crafts and craft-making, often accompanied by interviews with
artisans. That’s the way to go!
At ‘craft fairs’ and other occasions, there are usually expert
mat-makers, wood-carvers, bead-workers, textile weavers,
batik painters, basket-plaiters, gold-embroiderers and the like,
showing their skills to the public. They are always surrounded
by an admiring crowd, snap-snapping one photo after another,
and saying things like:
‘Wow, how clever! Look at the beautiful things they can make,
all by hand! No machines – not even a computer! I wish I could
do this.’
In the ‘good old days’ which nobody remembers exactly, young
people learnt their parents’ skills and crafts at home. A specially
talented weaver or carver could teach his or her children
better than the average craftsman did, but everybody learn
the skills necessary to produce articles for daily use: utensils,
boats, houses, clothing and the like. In other cultures, a baker’s
son learnt bread-making, the smith’s son was apprenticed to
the forge as a matter of course. All girls learn knitting and
needlework, whether they liked this pastime or not.
crowded the Zulu bead-working sessions organized by ladies
from the Vukani Museum. For most of them this was the first
experience of needle-weaving small beads instead of threading
them on descending strings. Instructors from Kraftangan
Malaysia’s Sarawak branch taught seasoned basket-makers and
mat-weavers how to make dainty little beads out of fine bamboo
strips. ‘Wait a minute!’ said one Australian craft designer, and
proceeded to make a finger-ring out of the same material.
And so it goes. Learn a new skill, put the newly acquired
knowledge to use, think about other applications of the same
technique, and there’s a new product!
Do-it-yourself handicraft books enjoy good sales; there are
a number of centres in town where various crafts are taught.
This is a great development, and the Sarawak Crafts Council
publication supports it. Get in touch if you are running, or
taking part in, such an enterprise (an email to crafthub@gmail.
com is enough), and we’ll list you on our What’s On page!
The developments of the second half of the 20th century laid
more stress on academic education. There’s no need to knit
or weave if you can buy everything ready-made! But now the
pendulum is swinging back. The desire to learn crafts, to make
something unique with one’s own hands, is enjoying a revival.
At the Borneo International Beads Conference (BIBCo) last
October, held in Kuching, the workshop sessions were full to
overflowing. Obviously there are a lot of people who want to
learn a new craft, or brush up their skills on something they
learnt years ago. A few skilled beaders in the Orang Ulu style
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
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: Lucy Ang-Abey, Donald Tan, Rosmarie Wong, Kamaldeep Kaur, Victor Wong, Heidi Munan, Pabriyah Bachik, De Gayantina Thamrin, Reynold Ahviet
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: Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, Sarawak Minister of Tourism, graced the BIBCo Gala Dinner, © copyright maridontreks
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
It’s been a great 2011 for the Sarawak Craft Council. Our work took us to very remote places in Sarawak where we met wonderful
craftspeople. Last July, we travelled to Sungai Bagiau in the interior part of Bintulu. We had to reach Tatau first, a connecting small
town to Sungai Bagiau. From there on, travellers have to take either the express boat or charter a long boat -- the only route is by
the river!
There are many villages at Sungai Bagiau. We visited Rumah Sigan longhouse, after hearing that the village is active in producing
handicrafts. Upon stepping on the longhouse, we were greeted jovially by the folks. The rerports were indeed true, the artisans
showed us their products by displaying them at the “ruai” or common area of the longhouse.
Then in September, the SCC planned a small study trip to Menglembu Perak (West Malaysia). This was a trip to a kiln-making
factory. Since there are many enthusiastic new ceramic craftspeople, it is crucial that they also know the correct tools and
machinery in order to produce high quality products, be it beads, ceramic figures, sculptures or ornaments.
At this factory, we discovered there are so many types of kilns which not only cater for ceramic but also for other industrial uses.
In October, ten of our craftspeople were invited to attend the Borneo International Beads Conference, where they had a chance to
showcase their products to an international audience (see p.14). The SCC was also involved with the Sarawak Hornbill Tourism
Award (SHTA) for 2009/2010, organized by the Ministry of Tourism and Heritage Sarawak (MinTH). SHTA was introduced in 2003
to express appreciation to individuals or organizations who contribute towards the development of the tourism sector in Sarawak.
The SHTA has many categories. The SCC was invited to judge “Outstanding Contribution to the Tourism Industry – Handicraft &
Souvenirs”. The panel of judges included Diana Corazon from MinTH and Gerald Goh from Sarawak Handicraft and Souvenirs
Association (Shasa). The chosen winner for this category are Kraf Seramik Long Tuma from Lawas. The beads centre in Lg. Tuma
has become a tourist attraction and can generate incomes for the villagers. Congratulations!
As a good way to end 2011, in December we went to Sungai Resettlement in Belaga, where we witnessed the SEDC’s Homestay
Certificate Giving Ceremony for the Sg. Asap people who had attended a special course.
For 2012 the SCC has exciting programs coming up. We will let you know some of the interesting stuff after everything has been
carefully planned and sorted out! We don’t want to spill the beans too early.
Our team at SCC wishes all our readers a successful and prosperous 2012!
‘Sungai Bagiau - The SCC goes where the action is!’
Judging crafts for a Tourism Award
3
The
KERINGKAM
VEIL OF SARAWAK
by Dr. Norseha Unin
University of Technology MARA, Sarawak
tudung is meant to cover the top of the head with the two ends
draping the sides of the head and dangling to just above the
shoulders. The newer version of the veil is of bigger rectangles
– up to one and a half metres long, the ends reach down to the
shoulders. It is also wider. The sqaure shaped ones are called
Selayah.
Tudung keringkam acquired its name from the gold thread
called keringkam that is used to embroider the edges and
also the sprinkling of small motifs all over the scarf. In the old
days the keringkam maker used gold thread from India which
they said was of superior quality today, they still prefer this to
the newer version imported from Japan. Tudung keringkam is
not cheap. The price increases with the increase in price of
the gold thread. Now, the price for each tudung keringkam
ranges from RM600 to RM 3000. My friend, Kak Rose says her
mother bought one in 1960 for RM60 – that was a princely
sum then when mid-level civil servants earned between RM250
to RM350 a month! The price is computed according to the
amount of gold thread used.
Courtesy of - http://hanahamidi.blogspot.com/
The tudung keringkam of Sarawak is a luxurious small head
covering or veil. The veil is skillfully and heavily embroidered
with gold thread. The demand for this small head scarf used to
be impressively high. It was a must-have item for traditional
Malay families in Sarawak. Tudung keringkam was normally
worn for weddings, engagements, and other formal ceremonies.
In every Malay family the veil became a priceless heirloom, to
be passed down from one generation to another. Today, this
traditional head scarf of Sarawak Malays is worn at cultural
festivals and on special occasions.
Typically, the tudung keringkam made by the Sarawak Malays
is of a deep red colour, but I have also seen this traditional scarf
in blue, purplish blue, green, brown and black. The keringkammakers use thin, soft and non-slippery fabric – usually muslin
or Swiss voile. They are always done in solid colours. In the
old days the tudung was rectangular in shape and the size
rather small – usually about two feet by one and a half feet. The
4
In days gone by, tudung keringkam played a significant role
in Sarawak Malay weddings. According to the old tradition,
the bride would send out a mat or tikar ngambik pengantin
that had been rolled up and wrapped around with a tudung
keringkam to the bridegroom’s house on the wedding day. This
was a signal to the groom’s family that the bride’s family was
ready to receive the bridegroom and his entourage. Nowadays,
with the existence of mobile phones and the internet, such a
quaint form of communication is no longer a common practice.
Today, there is a resurgence of interest in tudung keringkam.
Sarawak Malay brides are now wearing keringkam veil on
their wedding day. In January 2011, a young Malay university
lecturer in Kuching wrote in her blog (Hana’s Not So Simple
Life) about her quest for a custom-made tudung keringkam.
Her ultimate wish was to wear the traditional keringkam veil
during her wedding. She was aware that having a specially
made tudung keringkam for her wedding was a big challenge,
because there are only a few skilled keringkam-makers still
making the veils in Kuching.
With the help of a staff member of Kraftangan Sarawak, Hana
was able to meet with an elderly Malay lady who is an expert
in making tudung keringkam. So, her dream of wearing tudung
keringkam on her big day became a reality in June 2011. In her
blog, she wrote that she aspires to start a tradition of wearing
tudung keringkam for wedding ceremonies. Thus, if the tudung
keringkam comes back into fashion, there is no doubt that
tudung-keringkam-making may take off as an attractive business
venture for younger generation of Sarawak Malays.
NOTE: The art of embroidering tudung keringkam is now
considered a typical Sarawak Malay tradition, but one source
suggests it only made its appearance in Sarawak in the 1860s or
1870s, when it was considered the height of imported luxury!
Margaret Brooke, the Second Rajah’s lady, records in her
memoirs that she was helped to don traditional dress by some
Malay ladies. She wore a red sungkit skirt (kain tape), a blue
satin jacket with gold embroidery and gold buttons, ‘…and a
gauzy scarf of white and gold, obtained from Mecca, covered
my head, and a wide wrap of green silk and gold brocade was
flung over the left shoulder ready to cover my head and face
when wearing the dress in my walks abroad. According to Datu
Isa, my right eye alone should peep forth from the golden wrap
on such occasions…’
Malay lady c. 1870. Photo courtesy of Sarawak Museum
5
KETUPAT
By R.Ahmad
INTRODUCTION
Ketupat is rice cooked in woven palm leaves. The rice can be
just plain rice or pulut (glutinous) rice. It is typically found in
four South East Asian countries: Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei
and the Philippines.
In Malaysia, the ketupat is usually served as a special dish
during festivals such as Hari Raya. However, the rest of the
year you can have it at satay stalls or restaurants. Satay is a
complete meal in itself: skewers of either chicken or beef,
a side dish of raw onion and cucumber, and the ketupat for
your carbohydrate intake.
KETUPAT CASING
Young coconut leaves are used for the rice ketupat casing.
The leaves are from new fronds that are still “closed”,
clinging to the central stem of the frond. The colour must
be just right – yellow with a green border on the edge of the
leaf. The leaf must not be too young or too old: too young it
is soft and breaks easily, and too old it is too stiff to handle.
Daun palas ( Licuala spp.), a small fan palm, and nipah palm
leaves are also used for ketupat pulut. These also must be
yellow in colour.
SHAPE OF THE KETUPAT
The rice ketupat is either square or round (called ketupat
bawang because of its onion shape). The square shape is
easier to make and more common. Satay sellers always
serve the square ketupat. For pulut rice ketupat there are
several shapes. In Penang, Kedah and Perlis, they make
6
triangular ketupat pulut encased in daun palas. The casing
is not woven; the semi-cooked pulut is put at one end of the
palas leaf, which has been folded once to make a triangle
shape, and by folding the leaf over and over a triangle is
formed. The Filipinos in the Phillipines make similar ketupat
daun palas. In Sarawak, nipah leaves are used for the ketupat
pulut.
MAKING KETUPAT
Making a ketupat casing needs care and skill. In the writer’s
family, only her father knew the art. The rice is first washed
and left in a colander to drain out the water until it becomes
quite dry. Then the rice is put in the casing from a hole at
one end of it (where the weaving ended). The rice must
be just half way up the casing. Do not use beras wangi
(fragrant rice); the ketupat will be too sticky. Don’t worry
if you cannot weave your own ketupat casings. Just before
Hari Raya, they are sold everywhere: at the supermarket, the
bazaar Ramadan and at road-side stalls.
After all the casings are filled with rice, they are tied into
bundles of five or ten ketupat. The bundles are lowered into
a large pot of boiling water and cooked until the ketupat is
done, usually not less than five hours. They keep longer if
they are boiled well.
FESTIVAL KETUPAT SPREAD
On the first day of Hari Raya, every Malay house would
have ketupat with accompaniments of rendang (chicken or
Ketupat lepas bala
beef), peanut sauce (kuah satay), serunding and (for those of
Javanese ancestry) sayur lodeh (mixed vegetables cooked in
coconut milk). These are must-have dishes on that day.
THE DAILY SATAY
At the usual satay stall (in business all year round), the
ketupat is always there. However, specify you want the
ketupat, otherwise you have your satay sans ketupat. This is
because the weight-watchers usually scorn the ketupat, but
they slurp bowlfuls of the peanut sauce. I don’t blame them:
the sauce is the best part of eating satay.
Sarawak is the only State in Malaysia where people eat satay
for breakfast. By 6.00am the satay sellers are already at their
stalls on the five-foot way outside a café or coffee-shop.
Nowadays, even the noodle sellers are putting satay into the
mi-jawa. It definitely adds an extra dash. On your next trip
to Kuching, don’t forget to have satay for breakfast. Don’t ask
for it at a hotel coffee-house; go to a coffee-shop.
Ketupat Palas
KETUPAT AND SNAKES AND ILL-OMENS
Ketupat plays a significant role in the beliefs and traditions
of the people of Sarawak. A special ketupat pulut has been
used as a medium for warding off bad luck. These special
ketupat are called Ketupat Lepas Bala (warding-off-bad-luck
ketupat). Among the Malays of Sarawak, if a snake enters
a house it is an ill omen. The owner of the house visited
by the reptile has to prepare 44 pieces of ketupat pulut.
After the ketupat have been blessed by an ustaz they are
distributed to friends and neighbours. Each person is given
seven ketupat. The last two recipients will get eight each.
This is said to avert ill-luck. The snake is not harmed; it is
allowed to go out of the house to wander off somewhere
else -- or into another house?
Many years ago my family lived in Miri at a government
quarters near a lush secondary jungle. We frequently
received such ketupat lepas bala from our neighbours. For
some reason, the snakes skipped our house –
probably because the whole house was
on stilts, or our large noisy family
deterred them from visiting
us. Anyway, my mother was
spared the extra expenditure
of preparing that special
ketupat.
This distribution of ketupat
of ill omen is not restricted to
reptilian visits. A few months
ago, I received a packet of
seven such ketupat pulut from
a friend whose L-driver daughter
had been having several mishaps on
the road. After the distribution of the ketupat no
more road accidents happened. Strange, but true.
A bunch of Ketupat
7
“ Thanks for everything!” Datuk Amar Abang Johari,
Heidi Munan, Datuk Amar Empiang Jabu
BIBCoGala Dinner
Anne-Marie Powers from Australia, summed it up:
‘The incorporation of Workshops, Gallery visits, retail displays and
exhibitions enriched and broadened the Conference parameters.
The Gala night of course was sensational. Such fabulous historic and
contemporary garments and bead works, so stunningly modeled by the
beautiful models. WOH !!!’
The Gala Dinner was exactly that: Gala! Graced by our Minister of
Tourism, Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg and his lady, the event
featured a star-studded guest list and sumptuous fare. The entertainment
too just didn’t stop. At the entrance, guests were welcomed by
traditionally costumed groups from the Sarawak Cultural Village and
the Dayak Cultural Foundation, splendidly decked out in – what else?
– beads. Traditional dances enlivened the early part of the function,
followed by a parade.
No, not one parade, four parades! There was a fine display of Sarawak
traditional costumes, and then a glimpse from south of the border, young
men and ladies in ethnic garb from various parts of Kalimantan. A show
of contemporary Indonesian fashions, also sponsored by the Indonesian
Consulate, rounded up the first part of the evening.
Drum Roll. The guest of honour presented prizes to the two winners
of the Borneo International Beads Award (BIBA),. Bennidect Sandin and
Norainie bt. Moh. Unus.
Ms. June Ngo and choreographer Vicky Fong then showcased ‘Songket
and Beads – a Fashion Extravaganza’. This was a splendid display of
high couture created from fabrics crafted by Yayasan Tuanku Nur Zahira,
the songket brocade that is Malaysia’s pride. Slinky cocktail numbers
and gorgeous evening gowns glided up and down the catwalk, eliciting
more than one ‘WOH!!’ from the enthralled audience. The show was
impeccably choreographed and managed – it was exactly the right
length, leaving the audience sighing with contentment, and wishing that
there had been just a little more.
8
Mr. Nelson Tan, Mdm. Gracie Geikie, Dato Dr. Amin Khan
by Susi Heinze Dunsmore, with information
from www.transrural.org
Most people know that nettles sting. Few are aware that the
people of the Himalaya region derive a tough, useful fibre from
the stems of this ‘untouchable’ plant! For the mountaineers of
Nepal, particularly the Rai, Mogar and Gurung people, the
nettle of allo (Girardinia diversifolia) is woven into the very
fabric of culture. Its fibre is used for tying the umbilical cord
of new-born babies, as swaddling cloth for the dead, and for
many other purposes in between times, such as for making
bags and clothes.
A scarf knitted from
fine nettle fibre
Since the 1980s, the nettle weavers of the Rai community
in northeast Nepal have grouped themselves together, and
sought assistance from the ‘Kosi Hill Area Rural Development
Programme.’ Other international aid agencies, such as Transrural
are also assisting the nettle weavers.
The poverty-stricken producer communities are aware that their
greatest hope is to extract more value from the natural nettle
resource. The rough bags and cloth made for their own use are
useful, but bring in precious little cash to pay for essential food
Unlike other crafts of Nepal which are highly esteemed by the during the lean season, or for contributing towards the health
souvenir market, nettle products were hardly noticed in the and education costs for the children. The focus is now on highpast – the local farmers merely processed the fibre for their value, lightweight items for marketing to people with greater
own domestic consumption.
buying power, as an adjunct to the low-value local market. This
requires assistance at every link in the chain:
In 1994, the late Sir Edmund Hillary was
so convinced of the potential benefits • appropriate harvesting techniques to ensure sustainable
from this natural fibre that he
supplies of the raw material,
contributed 50,000 Rupees to • more fuel-efficient retting methods for extracting the fibres,
the local Rai community in the • improvements in spinning to improve productivity and
foothills of the Everest to pay for
consistent thread quality,
some basic fibre extraction tools • knitting according to new designs,
and training. An enterprising • appropriate technology (for instance, wooden looms to
Hairs on the nettle leaf
British lady, Susi Dunsmore, has
replace the back-strap loom),
and thorns on the stem contain a
also been contributing ideas and • secure transport from village to the capital city, clean storage
skin irritant that makes harvesting
difficult
experience of nettle fibre in Nepal
conditions.
for the past 25 years.
• links to niche markets outside Nepal in such places as Japan,
India and the UK.
At an altitude of 1500 – 2000 metres, the nettle grows naturally
on land which is unsuitable for food cultivation. The plant has A variety of marketing methods are envisaged, including the use
to be cut with some care, quilted cotton gloves protect the of the internet. Transrural has no aim to profit from the marketing
harvester’s hands. The leaves are stripped, and the stems are side, instead, taking on the role of honest broker, to establish the
soaked in water for retting, the same process that is used to links between designers and producers on the one hand, and
treat flax. The bark of the stem contains fibres which have between producers and markets on the other.
unique qualities: strength, smoothness, and if properly treated
silk-like luster and lightness. An individual fibre can be up to Note: Transrural is working with a non-profit partner, the
58cm long, which facilitates spinning it into very fine yarns. Himalaya Natural Fibre Foundation, established in 2007 to serve
Traditionally, nettle fibre was woven into textiles on the simple and represent fibre-producing communities.
backstrap loom; one innovation has been the introduction of
knitting.
A weaver sits on the cottage loom, one of
the innovations brought by NGO assistance
Beaded Pot
Rai nettle-fibre weaver (ink drawing,
Susi Heinze Dunsmore)
9
Bead seller at RWCB
By Nurul Amarlina Mohamad Adam Yap
Music at RWCB
Coconut carving
There are things that you never look forward to as the
calendar moves, day by day, nearer to the event; but then,
later you find that it was not that bad after all. Sometimes, the
event will actually exceed expectations, leaving you wanting
more. One can feel that when going to the first job interview,
or meeting your significant other’s family for the first time.
That was what I felt when I went to the Rainforest World
Music Festival (RWMF) 2011 last July. As the new intern at
The Borneo Post, my colleagues persuaded me to attend the
event. I had never attended the Festival before. Should I go?
It sounded exciting. I also heard that it was a place for the
cool crowd – and that many people get drunk!
The girls taking a break
The Rainforest
World Crafts
Bazaar 2011
Bamboo carving
The day finally came, but I was not looking forward to going to
the Sarawak Cultural Village. However, I went and attended
the various press conferences and covered workshops held
during the three days of the Festival.
After one of the workshops, I walked around the village and
I caught sight of the words ‘Rainforest World Crafts Bazaar
(RWCB). I am fond of arts and crafts, and the minute I read
those words my feet automatically guided me toward the
bazaar.
The RWCB was held in conjunction with the RWMF 2011 at
the Sarawak Cultural Village, as a place to showcase arts and
crafts from all over the world.
My chief reporter decided that for me.
“Nurul, you’re on the team. You’re going to cover RWMF,” he
said to me one fine morning. I started to imagine myself being
caught in the heat and sweat of mindless souls shouting and
jumping in front of the music stage.
10
I was proud to see that many local handicrafts were displayed
at the bazaar. There were also traditional games being played.
At the Melanau Tall House, where the bazaar was held, there
were Malay children in Baju Melayu carefully spinning the
gasing top, while an elderly man was carving a wooden doll.
A local artist was carving designs onto a bamboo coin
“box”. I admired the way she carved each line and curve
perfectly, without any mistake or damage to the bamboo.
My eyes started to wander searching for souvenirs.
There were crafts galore on display. The best part was
they were all on sale. My hands were itching to try out
every bracelet and necklace I could get my hands on.
Most of the colourful artwork on display could not be found
anywhere else in the world except in my own home State.
There I was, living in Sarawak for the whole 23 years of my
life, and just starting to appreciate my Borneo heritage! I
realised crafts are not merely things for sale. They depict
Borneo’s diverse cultures. I stopped thinking of the bazaar
merely as a shopping mall, and more as a classroom to
learn more about my State’s cultures. .
As I browsed for more beautiful craft items I learned
more about them. One woman at the bazaar explained to
me about tribal tattoo designs. She taught me to identify
their names: the eggplant flower, the Rafflesia flower and
the iconic hornbill. These designs are not only there for
decoration. There is a meaning behind them. For example,
the eggplant flower is the first tattoo given to Dayak males.
It symbolises the rite of passage of a boy entering adulthood.
There was also a booth of African handicrafts. It was a hit
among the locals and foreign visitors. A tall jovial man sold
animal figurines, pendants, rings and bracelets made of
antelope horns and camel bones. I bought a miniature giraffe
to bring a bit of Africa into my home.
I’ve also had a hands-on approach on making a clay pot.
The group from Singkawang, just south of the SarawakKalimantan border, brought a potter’s wheel to the bazaar
to let visitors have a go at making their own clay pots. The
friendly potter invited me to give it a try. It was scorching hot
that afternoon, but I didn’t care. I sat down in front of the
wheel as the potter spun it with his foot. It was definitely
not as easy as it looked, but I did make my clay pot. At first
it looked like a giant ear. After a few attempts I managed
to make it look more like a pot. However, I don’t think I can
make a living as a potter!
Handicrafts from Africa were a big hit with
visitors who want a bit of good luck.
I left the bazaar to continue interviewing people and to join
the rest of the media people. Attending the RWMF was one
of the best experiences I have ever had during my internship.
Besides the amazing music from far away places, I also
discovered one of Borneo’s enchanting open secrets - our
handicrafts. Before going to the RWCB, I thought crafts were
just an excuse for me to shop, but they are more than that.
They are part of our culture. I look forward to attending future
RWCBs.
11
11
Varieties...an assortment of baskets
available for sale at the Centre.
SKILLED HANDS
THE SIGHTLESS BASKET
Nice work...John Wong showing a fruit
basket made by a resident of the Centre.
MAKERS OF SIBU
By Andy Lau
Meet 73-year old, Ngu Heng Chii, a visually impaired person
residing at the Sarawak Society for the Blind, Sibu Division
Branch. At his age, Ngu lives his life to the fullest. He is making
full use of his time with his unique skill in basket weaving.
Making baskets is a full time job for Ngu. When at work, Ngu
shows his discipline and patience. He spends about an hour
and a half to complete a big earth basket (pungkis). It takes
a normal person up to five hours to make the same basket.
From the first rattan to the last one, Ngu, who is still a bachelor,
will make heads turn as he goes about his business of basketmaking. Visitors to the Centre always find it a pleasant sight
watching Ngu weaving his baskets – each one a unique basket!
The 17 residents at the Centre are well known for their basketry
skill. They have shown that their handicrafts are marketable;
people from far and near come to buy them. These blind
weavers can make various types of basket. People commission
them to make fruit baskets, fish baskets, sawdust baskets, or
ornamental hanging baskets for potted plants and other things.
None of these artisans were born with basket-making skills.
They had to learn, and were given appropriate training right
from the day they joined the Centre.
With 31 years of experience in basket-weaving, it is no
wonder Ngu excels in his craft.
The Centre’s Branch Secretary, John Wong says the Centre
has an instructor to teach the visually impaired the art of
basket weaving. The instructor is also a blind person. Teaching
methods are obviously different from imparting handicraft skills
to sighted persons, so the Centre has chosen the best person
for this responsible position.
Another weaver at the Centre, 56-year old Kip Ayum is just as
good as Ngu. Kip needs even less time to complete a basket.
Because his hands and fingers are younger and stronger, he
is probably more adept in some ways than Ngu is.
It takes a blind person between two and three years to learn
and perfect the skill. The instructor needs a great deal of
patience to teach his students; the students too need patience,
and many hours of practice to get the technique right.
Another member of the Centre, Gehi Mejang is an upcoming
basket weaver. Gehi is still picking up the finer points of basketmaking and aim to be as good as Ngu and Kip.
Hard work and perseverance are the main requisites for
success in mastering the skill of basketry – just like mastering
any other skill. The blind are not short of such qualities. All of
them, though each has his own speed in completing his work.
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Skillful...Ngu Heng Chii busy at work.
Concentrating: Pusa Tira making a fruit basket.
Meticulous...Baba Langi taking his time to make a basket.
Equally good...Emor Uding showing her weaving skill.
With the rising price of rubber, rattan collectors
have abandoned this work and moved on to tapping
rubber which offers better income. This has caused
an acute shortage of rattan in Sibu and elsewhere
in Sarawak.
However, though not sufficient, rattan is still
available. The blind people at the Centre are still
weaving baskets, but production has slowed down.
Ours...from left Emor, Ngu Heng Chii and Kip Ayum showing their masterpieces.
are good at producing quality products.
Years ago, when rattan was plentiful, the Sibu Municipal
Council and some local fishermen were their main customers.
The Council relied heavily on the Centre for scavenging baskets
for the daily collection of domestic waste. Fishermen used the
fish baskets for transporting their daily catch.
The baskets are sold only at the Centre, to walk-in
customers. All the baskets are usually snapped
up by visitors during the Annual Open House. The
items are certainly not expensive! A sawdust basket
costs just RM10, a fish basket RM25, an earth
basket RM10. Other items, including decorative
baskets, are priced at between RM5 and RM25
each. The Centre might consider raising the prices,
to give the skilled workers a better income – we are sure the
customers would still come in droves to get good ready-made
rattan products, or custom-made ones!
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Kraftang
Gracie G
Official Opening of BIBCCo. r to l: Datuk Talib Zulpilip, Heidi Munan, Robert Lian,
Datuk Dr. Zuraina Majid, Datuk Amar Empiang Jabu, Datin Cathrine Gramong
The Borneo International Bead
Conference 2011 went off with a
bang. A ‘pop’ anyway, when our
guest of honour cut the ribbon at
the opening ceremony, and ‘beads’
popped all over the place.
Old friends got together at BIBCo,
new friends joined the fun. The
lecture component was very
interesting and informative; we learnt about bead links from all
over Southeast Asia and beyond. Our keynote speaker, Malaysian
Commissioner for Heritage Dr.Zuraina Majid Lowe, was followed
by Henry Anyie, Hat bin Hoklai and Hang Tuah Merawin from the
Native Laws Court of Sarawak, Arthur Astarita from the USA, Louise
Hamby from Australia, Karlis Karklins from Canada, Alok Kumar
Kanungo from India, Eleanor Preston-Whyte from South Africa,
Patricia Regis from Sabah, Tazudin Mohtar and Heidi Munan from
the Sarawak Museum. The papers were published in an elegantly
presented Journal, which is still available (see below).
The post-conference tour to a Bidayuh longhouse was considered
the high point of the event by those who joined this day-trip. An
old lady demonstrated the art of making the tall beaded head-gear
for which this ethnic group is famous, and the group shared a nofrills Bidayuh lunch on the airy verandah of her house.
Anita M
BIBCo 2011 was a great experience. To keep in touch with
everybody, there are more pictures on the website (www.crafthub.
com.my) and on our Facebook page (crafthub Kuching).
See you next time!
The Assistant Minister of Tourism, Datuk Talib
Zulpilip, and Datin Cathrine Gramong examine a
fine piece of beadwork.
Jane Lia
Participants and the general public revelled in beads, beads and
beads at BeadsAbuzz, the exhibition and sales component of
BIBCo. Bead sellers, bead designers, bead artists contributed to
the sparkling display; Sarawak’s traditional craft-workers enjoyed
the exposure to a wider world.
The three workshops were so well attended that some people had
to wait for a turn! A group of experts from the Vukani Museum in
Zululand shared the secrets of beading a Zulu Love Letter. A team
from Kraftangan, the Malaysian Handicrafts Board, had a different
secret to reveal – how to make dainty beads out of fine strips of
bamboo! One specially skilled participant took this a step further
to make a finger ring.
Camel-b
The third workshop was a ‘show-and-tell’ session monitored
by Karlis Karklins and Thomas Chung. These two bead experts
examined and commented on beads shown to them by participants,
but they didn’t just hand down verdicts – they encouraged lively
discussion in which everybody took part.
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‘Here’s
Kraftangan bead-making workshop
Post-conference tour to bead-workers
in Anna Rais longhouse
A helping hand...
Gracie Geikie picks her beads
Datuk Amar Empiang Jabu tries on a BIBCo T-shirt, urged on by Datuk Talib Zulpilip
Anita Majumder and Freya Martin
Jane Lian Labang, Datin Valerie Mashman and Dato Ose Murang
The Zulu bead stall was a hit! r to l: Lyn Alhady, Rosemarie Wong, Datin Empiang Jabu, Vivienne Garside
Camel-bone beads from Africa
‘Here’s a pretty piece!’ -- Lesely Corrigan
Gu’un anak Tuyah of Anna Rais Longhouse
15
Zama Mbatha from Zululand
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A Page of History
NIEUWENHUIS A.W.: QUER DURCH BORNEO (2 vols), E.J.Brill, Leyden 1907; Vol II pp 189-190)
Iron-working, Ulu Bahau
Dr.Niewenhuis travelled in Dutch
Borneo in the last decades of the 19th
Century. He was a medical officer,
and an accurate observer; his books
and journal articles remain classics of
Borneo Studies to this day.
Iron-working
‘In every village, there are several
smiths who produce and mend articles
of daily use. Each smith sets up a
forge away from the main longhouse.
Practically every Dayak can do simple
iron-working, such as hammering
farming tools into shape, sharpening
them, replace a broken spike, or bend
a nail into a fishhook. The professional
smith, however, is considered a more
important man, an artist who is inspired
by a special spirit (to temme). He cannot
excel at his craft without spiritual help.
A forge is usually a roof, 8 – 10 square metres in size, supported
on four pillars, just high enough for a man to stand upright.
The Bahau cover the roof with wooden shingles, and fence the
whole shack to keep the pigs out of it.
The smith’s tools are primitive. The most important item, the
anvil, is usually a large rectangular piece of iron in a wooden
frame. The smith holds the hot iron he is working on with a pair
of tongs, and forges it with a hammer. There’s always a trough
of water within reach, for tempering and cooling the iron.
The heat is provided by fire of charcoal, which the smiths
usually produce for themselves. The fire is blown up with a pair
of bellows. Main part of the bellows are two hollow tree trunks,
inside which a piston is worked on pliable canes. The operator pushes
the piston downwards to compress the air and expel it at the lower
end; the elastic stick rebounds and pulls the piston upwards again. The
compressed air escapes through an opening at the lower end of the tree
trunk into an extension pipe of wood or bamboo, sheathed in clay, to
direct the blast into the fire. The piston itself is a thick disk of wood of
slightly smaller diameter than the inside of the tree trunk, studded with
feathers around its rim. [on the up-stroke the feathers collapse, which
allows air to be sucked into the cylinder; the down-stroke spreads the
feathers to force the air downwards. Ed.] The person who works the
pistons pulls and pushes them up and down alternatively, so a steady
stream of air blows into the fire.
Besides the tools mentioned above, some home-made chisels are used,
and this is all the equipment a Bahau blacksmith generally uses.’
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BIBCo Journal 2011
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The Journal, containing a collection of the papers presented at the conference, was distributed to
all participants, and sold to the public at BeadsAbuzz. Bead-L moderator Deborah Zinn tells her
online group about it:
‘[after extensive travels, I] came home to my copy of the BibCO Journal, 2011. My friend Anne
Marie attended this well-organized conference. She & her husband both were amazed at how
much they enjoyed their travel in Borneo. A destination they are now recommending to their
Aussie travelling friends.
Well written & photographed like the 2010 Journal. Of course, there are articles by Beads-L
members Heidi Munan and Karlis Karklins. Am also interested in reading article by Eleanor
Preston-Whyte on South African beadwork & the global market. (Will be curious to see how
it compares to recent experience in Ethiopia.)
Look forward to reading the articles in depth.
Anyone find any of the articles particularly of interest?’
The appearance and standard of the Journal was owing to the deft touches of editor Freya Martin. We are
interested in any feedback – send us an email at crafthub@gmail.com.
Some copies of the 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
Come visit MPH Bookstores at the Spring, Kuching. looking for books on Crafts,
Borneo Heritage and many more...
MPH BOOKSTORES Sdn Bhd (46243-M)
Lot 114, 1st Floor The Spring Shopping Mall, Jalan Simpang Tiga, 93350 Kuching,
Sarawak.
Tel:082-244800 Fax: 082-244801 Email: mphspr@mph.com.my
Sarawak Crafts Council
&
Crafthub Sdn. Bhd.
wish all their friends a Happy & Properous 2012!
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
what’s on... in the world of crafts
KUCHING WEEKLY CRAFT MART
every Friday – Sunday at the Waterfront
MIRI PERMANENT CRAFT MART
at the Handicraft Centre, Brooke Road
BATIK PROMOTION MALAYSIA 2012, in May 2012, at the
Crafts Centre, Brooke Road, Miri.
Organized by Kraftangan Malaysia Sarawak Branch. An
exhibition and sales of batik crafts from all over Malaysia.
SMITHSONIAN 30TH ANNUAL CRAFT SHOW,
April 19 – 22
This prestigious event is produced by the Smithsonian
Women’s committee to support education, outreach and
research at the Smithsonian Institution. ‘The Smithsonian’
sets the benchmark for Art and Craft exhibitions, worldwide;
if any of our readers are in Washington at the time, don’t
miss it!
Venue: National Building Museum, Washington DC
SHOPPING
with De Gayantina Thamrin
I am an aficionado of jewellery. The first time I walked into the Elizabeth King shop I felt like I was
a child walking into a candy store. I wanted to hold and try everything there! The shelves are full of
beads from all over the world, jewellery parts, and ready to use jewellery of myriad designs. I can
always find a new design on each of my frequent visits to this store.
Elizabeth King opened in December 2010. During my May visit, Francesca, the owner, said the then
centralised theme of the store was “Gawai Dayak 2011”, and because of that much of the jewellery is
made from Borneo beads, recycled wood, bone beads, and Indian clay beads with beautiful traditional
designs. The Jewellery and beads in the store are all displayed in the hundred-year-old Belian wood
boxes.
Francesca started her hobby of buying and collecting beads from all over the world many years ago.
Her hobby has evolved into a business and she has become a renowned jewellery designer. Her
products are sold world-wide. I remember, a few years ago she and her assistant Dyah Wulandari gave
free lessons on simple crystal bracelet-making techniques at an event at the Indonesian Consulate –
this was to teach people to make their own jewellery.
Elizabeth King is truly a heaven for fans of unique jewellery. The owner and the staff politely and
professionally provide jewellery-making services according to the design and material chosen by the
customers. They also provide basic lessons in jewellery-making using many interesting materials and
designs.
Whenever I visit the store, I can always see other customers smiling happily after acquiring their
purchases. Some would sigh, “I’ve come here twice today, I’m totally broke now.” But they all have
a satisfied look on their faces, wearing their own jewellery creations or holding beautiful swarovsky
crystal rosaries.
Elizabeth King is located on the Ground Floor of One Jaya Shopping Complex, Lorong Song, Kuching,
Sarawak.
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