Contents

2 editorial 3 A Word from the sCC

4 Melanau Basketry

6 Gerai orang Asli

8 Craft Revival trust

10 Paper Making in Bhutan

12 Kraftangan

14 ethnic-costumed dolls 17 A Page of History

19 What’s on

19 shopping with Annie teo

stAnd UP And Be CoUnted!

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 253e-mail : beatricekedoh@yahoo.com

website : sarawakhandicraft.com

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

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 MunanPublication Manager: Rosenah AhmadContributors: Heidi Munan, Parbiyah Bachik, Reynold Ahviet, Annie teo, Uwin Udih, Reita Rahim, Ranjana MohanPrinted by Bahagia Press sdn Bhd, Lot 225 section 49, Jln Padungan Utara, 93100 KuchingPublished by Crafthub sdn Bhd, 1st Floor, 96 Main Bazaar, 93000 KuchingIssn 1985-7357

Cover image: Mdm. esther sired of Kampung semabas working on “bark cloth” © copyright

2

Visitors from other countries, while admiring our handicrafts, often ask a question that’s hard to answer:

‘How many people are actually busy doing these crafts, these arts, in sarawak?’

the short answer is: we don’t really know.

there is a considerable number of artisans – weavers, basket-plaiters 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 socio-economic 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.

A very few feature email addresses, and hand-phone numbers are notoriously changeable.

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.

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.

A word from...The Sarawak Craft Council by Reynold Ahviet

3

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.

Miri Jazz Festival 2012 Penang World Music Festival 2012

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our guest of honour, toh Puan

datuk Patinggi Hajah norkiah

our fashion show!

The Sarawak Craft Councilthe 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 Statementthe sarawak Craft Council provides leadership in the development and enhancement of the handicaft industry in sarawak.

Objectiveto develop the handicraft industry into a more coordinated and progressive enterprise that will complement the needs of the tourism industry.

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.

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.

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the Melanau people are found in the central region of sarawak:

in Mukah, sibu, sarikei and Kapit. there are slight regional

differences in terms of dialect, customs, arts and cultural

heritage. one good example is the art of basket weaving. the

number of Melanau craft makers may have decreased, but

they still produce many types of impressive-looking and useful

plaited items.

MUKAH HANDICRAFTS

Mukah basketry is different from what is made in other districts,

in form, pattern and variety. this was evident during the Kaul

Mukah Festival 2012 which was held from 21-29 April at Kuala

dana Beach. Woven handicrafts and cut-out palm leaves were

used as decoration, and other impressive-looking items were

put on display at the exhibition booths. this annual tourism

event of Kaul Mukah has provided a good opportunity for the

craft-makers of Mukah division to showcase their products and

to show their skills. the handicrafts and decorations also add

colour to the Kaul Festival.

some of the handicrafts on display are used for ceremonial

purposes. For example, the serahang, a decorated basket, is

used as a container for offerings during certain ceremonies.

other items are made just for decoration or for household use.

Many old-time items are no longer made. they have become

redundant due to the appearance of new things that serve the

same purpose and are cheaper.

RAW MATERIALS

the raw materials for basketry are cheap or free of charge

if you know where to get them. the stems, leaves and other

parts of sago, nipah and coconut palms and bamboo are used

depending on the type of item to be produced. other craft

materials are found deep in the jungle, such as rattan and certain

leaves. Another common material is bemban for making mats.

Bemban is found in secondary jungles or in swampy areas near

the villages.

normally, craft makers are women. But Melanau men also play

a role in the handicraft industry. Both men and women are

involved in the production of serahang: the men collect and

help prepare the raw materials while women do the weaving. A

serahang is basically the basket made from the outer skin of the

petiole of the sago palm frond, supported on a bamboo stand.

the whole thing is decorated with plaited and cut-out tetilip,

made from the new leaves and other parts of the palm.

dalin simang, an 80-year-old lady from Kampung Jebungan,

is an expert handicraft maker. she is unstinting in sharing

her skills with the younger generation including her own

daughters, granddaughters and great-granddaughters. she was

the principal instructor at a two-day workshop on tetilip and

Serahang, organized by the Majilis Adat Istiadat sarawak from

17-18 March 2012 at the Integration hall of Kpg Jebungan

Mukah district. there were 30 participants. the Head of the

Melanau section of MAIs, Hat Hoklai, was happy with the

success of the workshop and hoped to hold other workshops

focusing on other handicrafts. “this is a critical area, as the

reliable informants and source of important information are

now ageing,” he said.

on 19 April 2012, the Mukah Melanau Association (MMA)

organised a serahang making competition at Kuala dana beach

during the Kaul Mukah 2012. there were 19 participants – 18

Melanau HandicraftsMelanau Handicraftsby Uwin Udih

Melanau Crafts exhibition

5

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 multi-

purpose: 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

the river.

the Melanau handicrafts have not been commercialised yet.

except for the exhibition at the annual Kaul Mukah, not much

MAIs workshop participants. Hat Hoklai 5th from the right

Palm leaf decorating Raising the serahang

Raising the serahang

is done to promote them. the present Melanau generation

should play their role in the preservation of the rich Melanau

cultural heritage.

HigH-tecH Heritage: Harnessing social media to promote Heritage craftsA 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.

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.

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

by Reita Rahim

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.

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.

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.

We also believe in creating long-term relationships. We help buyers “connect” with the rural artisans they are buying from; the

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.

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.

You can read up more about Gerai oA or view their photo journals at their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/geraioa

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.

7

the Craft Revival trust (CRt) was established in India in 1999. It is a non-profit organization, dedicated to collecting and disseminating information about crafts, and the artisans who manufacture these products.

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

CRAFT REVIVAL TRUST knowledgeable network from across the world and is recognized

for its width of topics and authentic texts. As a current and open-source platform, the journal also serves as a forum for advocacy and empowerment and is now widely acknowledged as a platform for change.

this is just a short ‘take’ on an active, progressive organization dedicated to promoting Craft. Find out more at www.craftrevival.org

note: the article on paper making in Bhutan, reprinted in the present issue of CRAFts (pp 10-11) is from this source. (ed)

Artwork by Pradyumna Kumar

Come visit MPH Bookstores at the Spring, Kuching. Look here 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

9

By Ranjana Mohan

In Bhutan, paper-making was a cottage industry activity. Paper

was made entirely by hand from the bark of the daphne plant and

gum from the roots of a creeper plant. often the daphne bark was

mixed with the barks of other plants to produce different varieties

of paper. What makes the daphne paper special is its luminosity

and texture. termite and other insects are repelled by the daphne.

For this reason, in the old days, it was particularly valued as a

durable writing material for religious texts and historical records.

ORIGINS AND TRADITIONS

the history of the handmade paper tradition of Bhutan can be traced

back to the eight century. It was said that the technique came from

Chine via tibet, brought over ancient trade routes to nepal and

Bhutan. even today, these Himalayan countries continue to share

the traditional method of making and using hand-made paper from

the daphne plant.

PRODUCTION AREAS

Paper was first made in northern, central and eastern Bhutan where

the daphne plant is found in abundance. the Bhutan paper-

making industry has undergone rapid modernisation and is now

mechanized. this has eliminated a lot of laborious work by hand,

and increased the scale of the operation of the paper-producers.

In thimpu, large establishments using equipment from Japan are

producing fine quality paper and paper products and exporting

them to places all over the world. daphne paper is now produced

in thimpu, tashigang, Punakha, Bumthang and Mongyr districts,

and Gedu.

RAW MATERIALS

the Himalayas are the natural habitat of the high-altitude daphne

plant, which belongs to the Thymelaeacae family. there are 70

varieties of daphne and they grow in altitudes ranging from 1,500

feet to 10,000 feet above sea level. the daphne is a shrub, about

five to six feet tall, with fragrant white flowers. The plant is harvested

by cutting the whole bush, and leaving a “stump” of 6-8 inches to

grow new shoots. the regeneration of the plant takes about four to

eight years, after which it is ready to be harvested again.

daphne paper has a natural dark woody tone , is highly durable,

and can last up to 2,000 years. Ivory-coloured paper is made from

the strong inner bark. It is stripped, cleaned and then processed.

The Daphne fibre has tremendous tensile strength and, like elastic,

can be coiled, twisted and turned without breaking.

the Edgeworthis papyrifera sieh, belonging to the same plant

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,

softer and less glossy in appearance. It also has less strength and

durability compared to the daphne paper.

during the production process, the bark and roots of other climber

plants and other ingredients are added for colouring the paper.

Flowers, leaves, ferns, fern moss, wood moss, parts of the banana

plant, betel-nut and maize leaves are added to make decorative

floral paper. The gum is obtained from a creeper plant.

PROCESSING AND PAPER-MAKING TECHNIQUE

daphne is harvested only during the summer months (March

to october). the inner bark is stripped and dried immediately.

this debarking work takes place from March to April. the paper

manufacturers buy daphne and other barks in their dried form.

the paper-makers clean the bark and cut it into small pieces. the

pieces are then boiled for a couple of hours. Wood ash is added

to the water to speed up the cooking process. this makes the

fibres soft and pliable to make it easier to reduce them to pulp.

No chemicals are added. After the cooking process, the fibres are

sorted and put under running water to clean them and to drain

away any remaining impurities.

After the cleaning, the fibres are pounded by hand to make a

pulp, though pounding machinery is available nowadays. Water is

added to further loosen and break up the fibres into a finer pulp.

during the beating process, colour is added for making coloured

paper. Brown colour is obtained from walnut bark, orange from the

madder plant, etc.

10

the pulp is pounded thoroughly in wooden troughs, to make it soft

and homogenous in texture. Water is added in sufficient quantity

to ensure the mixture is of the required consistency. Any dirt or

foreign body in the pulp is removed. After this, the pulp is ready

for making paper.

TWO METHODS OF MAKING THE FINISHED PAPER

ResHo: this method is used throughout the Himalayas for

producing “cotton paper”. the processed pulp is poured onto a

cotton screen enclosed in a wooden frame for sieving. the pulp

is spread evenly on the cotton surface of the screen that floats in

water. this maneuver requires dexterity and practice. the frame

with the pulp on the screen is then lifted from the water and left

to dry in the sun for half a day. If the weather is wet and cold the

drying is done by placing the frames around wood-fires. Once dry,

the paper sheet is peeled off from the screen mould and it is ready

for use. Resho paper is thinner and cheaper than tsarsho paper.

tsARsHo: this method of paper-making is only used in Bhutan.

It produces tsarsho or “bamboo paper”. A screen made of slim

bamboo mat/sticks is lowered into the vat of pulp; the wooden

frame containing the bamboo mesh screen is vigorously shaken

after which the paper-maker lifts it out of the water and spreads the

pulp over the surface of the screen. the screen is then turned over,

and the paper sheet that has formed on it drops off and is stacked

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

stone is placed on the pile of paper sheets to press out the water

overnight. the next day, the sheets are peeled off layer by layer and

stuck to the earthen walls of a hut built for this purpose. By the end

of the day the sheets are dry and fall off the wall. today, they have

dryers to dry the sheets.

DAPHNE PAPER PRODUCTS

daphne paper repels insects, it is durable, glossy, smooth, soft and

good for recycling. In its un-dyed form the paper is very attractive

because of its natural ivory appearance and its silken texture.

the paper is now used to produce more contemporary products

such as greeting cards, stationery sets, notebooks, photo album, gift

wrapping paper, files, bags, envelopes, photo frames, postcards,

lamp-shades and calendars.

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8

8 10 11 12

13 14 15 16

STEPS OF MAKING FINISHED PAPER

11

TYPES OF BATIKthe 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

VERSATILE BATIKBy 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 touchModern 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.

12

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.

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The Sarawak Tourism Federation

AlwAyS supports AuThenTic 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

Artist at work

traditional Batik Brush work

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

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 gold-brocade sarong and the traditional veil of gold-embroidered voile. the Melanau lady wears the same basic items, with large silver

Abang Din

Dayang Tim

ahMdm. Madu

Mr. Noheb

by Heidi Munan

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Keling and Kumang (Iban)Abang Galau and his good dayang (Melanau)towkay and nyonya ong (Chinese)

Mdm Yamu and Mdm Kijang (Lun Bawang and Kelabit) Ribu Balan and Mdm.Lah (orang ULu)

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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

BORNEO INTERNATIONAL BEADS CONFERENCE 2011 JOURNAL

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

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.

jouRnAL

BoRnEo InTERnATIonAL

BEAdS ConfEREnCE 2011

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A Page of History

Boat Making, Borneo

‘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 war-boat 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

GoMes edwin H; seA dAYAKs oF BoRneo, seeley & Company, London 1911, pp 49 – 50

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.

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.

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what’s on... in the world of crafts

SHOPPING fOr craftSwith Annie teo

MALAYSIA

KUCHING WEEKLY CRAFT MARTevery 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/sabah-malaysian-borneo/en/event/5150-folk-art-festival/

27 Sept - 8 Oct. 2012TEXTILE 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. 2012ART FAIR EUROPEnuremberg exhibition Centre, Bayern,GermanyArt 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.

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

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 2012Abingdon 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.