HANDICRAFT OF SARAWAK

 

These beads are crafted into beautiful jewelery. Sewn onto fabric among others. It also depend on the artisan skill and knowledge. Orang Ulu are among the best in the industry.

The different ethnic community in Sarawak have their own style and techniques which influenced their beading style based on their own interpretation and pattern.

The Orang Ulu woman folks are well know for the beading skill. In their hand these beads are crafted and fashioned into beautiful headband, baby carriers and also their traditional dresses among others.

The Bidayuh community also have their own unique and traditional beading works. Nowadays you can buy necklaces and wristlets among other made by Bidayuh artisans.

In the Iban community beads play an important part in their traditional rituals. Their maiden wore traditional dresses and accessories withdistinctive pattern made by sewing beads into the fabric during theGawai Ritual at the Longhouse.

Other Sarawak ethnic community are catching up with their own unique and traditional patterns also with modern influenced patterns.

Sarawak beading style and techniques have both traditional and also modern influence making it ideal for accessories to compliments your daily dressing.

These unique traditional pattern Sarawak beadwork are readily available at Craft and Souvenir shops in Kuching, the Main Bazaar, Sibu-Central Market., Bintulu and Miri Handicraft Centre. 

Iban Pua Kumbu is a hand woven wrap ikat textile of the Iban Community in Sarawak, East Malaysia. It Is considered to be a sacred object of numerous uses and great significance in the traditional life of the Iban Community.

The Pua Kumbu is made from homespun cotton and dyed using natural dyes namely roots of morinda citrifolia and tarum leaves. The motif on the pua kumbu is produced using the resist technique called ikat.

This complex motifs or designs are normally inspired by dream, nature as well as the Iban beliefs and values.

Usage of Pua Kumpu in the Iban Community.

Pua Kumpu play a significance role in the Iban Communit they are being used in various stages in the community traditional lifestyle. During Child birth, marriage, funeral, healing and also in the farming rituals.

These ceramic crafts design and style are being incorporated with Sarawak ethnic motive and theme...making them much sought after as gifts and souvenirs.

The pottery industry of Sarawak have developed from mere producing daily usage items to a range of highly decorative vases and other unique crafts to cater for gifts and souvenir buyers.

Sarawak ethnic motive pottery vase.

Each pottery items are handcrafted by expert and creative potters with depicts the traditional cultures of Sarawak ethnic community and Sarawak flora and fauna theme.

Beautiful crafted Sarawak Ethnic Motive Table Lamp Stand.

Sarawak ceramic crafts are of two distinct types. One done by the Iban, Murut and the Kelabit and the other done by the Chinese.

Beautifully design Sarawak pottery are easily available at handicrafts and curio shops in Sarawak major town and also at the airport s of Sarawak. They are also available at the various pottery factory and showroom in Kuching and Sibu.

Beautiful and intricate Garden Lamp Stand from Ceramic.

In Kuching...these ceramic crafts could be bought from handicrafts and curio shops along the Main Bazaar. Street..the Waterfront souvenir shop and at the Satok Sunday Market. You can also buy them at the Kuching International Airport souvenir shops.

The Bidayuh community which are mainly concentrated in the first division. Kuching are the Bisadon,  .Biatah, Bau-Jagoi and Selako-Lara. Each tribes have their own distinct design and motives.

As the community are mostly farmers the handicrafts that are made are use for carrying, drying and storing their farms produce.

The most popular and in great demand is the “Kasah” is suitable for floor decoration as it strong and durable and lasting. The “Kasah” is made of durable thin strip of durable "segah emas" rattan and weaved together with beaten tree barks. A good quality “kasah” have a rustic look...dark brown rattan and tree barks. The most common size is 4' by 6' or 10' by 16'. This rattan mat could be lasting if it taken care properly.

Rattan Mat or Kesah

The Bidayuh community use rattan to make beautiful durable and strong basket to carry stored their farms products and also for decorative items. These basket are come in different size depending on the intended purpose of the items.

Rattan Basket or Tambok

Beside using the rattan the community also use thin bamboo strips and also sago branches which have been processed. Due to time consuming preparation and process some members of the community preferred plastic strip which are easily available. Effort are being carry out to diversify to usage of these handicrafts such as purse..document bags among others.

Tambok or Basket made from Bamboo. 

Tray made from Bamboo

Beside the basket, there are the bamboo tray and fish trap and sunshade which are sometime beautifully decorated with plants motives and also animal.

Fish Trap made from Bamboo.

The Bidayuh craftsman or the artisan also curved beautiful pen holder and souvenir items among others.

Carved Bamboo Items.

Other raw material that are being used by the Bidayuh community to produce these beautifully Sarawak Bidayuh handicrafts are the screw pine leaves or the “mengkuang “ which are processed and weave into mat for bedroom floor and also for drying farm produce. Bemban or the pandanus spp are also being used to make basket and also mats.

Bemban Plan

taken in : http://www.sarawak-vacation-destinations.com/sarawak-pottery.html#.UgPKX5JASMk

Pua Sungkit

Compared to the other Pua scarf series, Pua Sungkit is totally unavailable in the market in the present time. It must probably because no one is willing to go through the tedious process of its weaving journey that take some time to complete its process. In fact, the function of this scarf is exactly the same as Pua Kumbu, but the only differences between these two is the weaving technique and process during the making, where Pua Kumbu is much more easier to make thanPua Sungkit. However, due to its difficult making process, most of the Pua Sungkit are small in size and most of it were made into higher value items like costume where it was featured as skirt and only be worn by dancers of higher caliber during special ceremony.

Mariak Empang

This ornate piece of art is intricately stringed and is an one of Iban traditional costume most iconic component. Bead of different colors are skillfully assembled to create patterns and designs that reflects how unique Iban heritage are. Marik Empang is actually an elaborate beaded collar worn by Iban maidens in most dances and ceremonies. It is believed to have been developed as a substitute to wearing layers of chunky beads which were heavy and uncomfortable. This evolution took place in the early 20th century when barter traders to the village of Santubong brought about an influx of smaller and colorful beads. The beaded collar adds a richer and more vibrant texture to the overall Iban costume.

Burung Kenyalang (the Ceremonial Hornbill carving)

The carving of Burung Kenyalang, regarded by the Iban tribe as the God of War, is the most sacred carving used to honor and commemorate the warriors and leaders in the Iban community. Burung Kenyalang or Hornbill bird is also Sarawak’s official animal, as you can clearly see in the state badges. Statues of the hornbills are displayed as centre piece during the Gawai Kenyalang ceremonies along side with other rituals, bard or chanting as well as offerings. The carvings are also used in some ceremonial dances depicting victory and attainment. Traditionally, only a proven warriors is allowed to fell the tree to be used for the carving the hornbill statue while the wood for the hornbill crest can only be cu by a warriors who has killed numerous enemies in a single expedition. The statue becomes sacred after it has been consecrated in the Gawai Kenyalang ceremony, after which it will be respectfully displayed and receive offering in other ceremonies.

The Bidayuh Bamboo baskets

The Bidayuhs has developed quite an impressive series of handicrafts from bamboo. You will be very amazed at how bamboo is widely treasured and used in their everyday life including as materials for building the longhouse. Bidayuh Bamboo carving was initially created to be used as dart-containers for the blow pipe in the olden days.

Traditionally,basket plays an important part in the life of the native tribe who dwell and hunt in the forest and paddy plantation. As the time moves forward, it was developed into containers for storing important documents. Later, these unique way of carving was creatively adopted in and around the interior of longhouses giving rise to that standard interior decor outlook for the Bidayuh Longhouses. However, these heritage is slowly vanishing because of its
difficult process of preparation and its tedious weaving styles and technique.

kiromboi (musical ‘rain-makers’)

Made using a pair of edible kiromboi padd y snail shells and pl ayed with a bamboo stick , such ‘rainmakers’ are based on a loc al legen d where a prolonged drought was ended when frog like calls were played en-mass e.